Those who know me or who have ever stopped by my cube will probably be aware of my involvement with a non-profit organization (Farm Sanctuary) which is dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating farmed animals and educating the public about the nature of factory farming. This is something that I am very passionate about and which I have endeavored to become more involved with over the last year and a half. A few weeks ago, I was contacted by the shelter manager in Orland, CA (Where I volunteer every other week) about a position that they had opening up to see if I would be interested in being considered. This past Saturday, February 26th, I was told that the position was mine if I wanted it.
It has been an interesting last eighteen months for me, both on a professional and a personal level. I have spent a lot of time focused on self-discovery and trying to figure out not just "what I want to do when I grow up", but "who I want to be when I grow up" as well. While these are very similar, I believe there is a key distinction. Along the way, I have been writing about my experiences since this provided an opportunity to get in touch with another of my passions, creativity. An interesting side-effect of writing about your life is that you start to see yourself as a character in your story and you begin to appreciate the control that you have over the way the story plays out. While it may often feel like you are "along for the ride", your life is really a product of decisions, both small and large.
On Monday, February 28th, I made a large decision and informed Verigy that I would be accepting the position at Farm Sanctuary. This is a bitter-sweet decision for me. While I know that this is the right move for me as a person, I will miss many of the aspects of Verigy that have also become a big part of my life:
- While it may not feel like it on any given day, I will miss the ride. Like any good ride, it has been a combination of the road and the people I have been travelling on it with, and they have both been great.
- I believe that the Support Operations Team, under Barry's leadership, is headed in a direction that really makes sense to me, and a part of me wishes to be part of seeing the vision become a reality.
- I have had the honor of being part of a special team who have supported me through good times and bad times and have been able to make some really big changes in how we perform as a unit.
My last day with Verigy is expected to be March 25th, 2011 and there will be a lot of work to be done between now and then in order to ensure a smooth transition. I like to believe that my biggest contribution to my team has been to provide them with this opportunity to do great and important things and I trust that this will continue past my departure. I want to thank everyone for the lessons that you have taught me in my time here, everywhere and everyday, and to wish you all the very best as you continue down the road to Verigy's future.
Sincerely,
Brian Higgins
"There are two things that I want you to make up your minds to: first, that you are going to have a good time as long as you live - I have no use for the sour-faced man - and next, that you are going to do something worthwhile, that you are going to work hard and do the things you set out to do." (Theodore Roosevelt)
