Luiza, or a certain sense of emptiness

I was right to fear my return to work... Despite the fact that I only worked three days, I can assure you that I did more than the 35 hours I am supposed to work per week. And I can also assure you that I could have worked even more, should time and physical resistance allow... Of course, the fact that I was on holidays for the last two weeks, made items acumulate on my to-do list; naturally, the time of the year brings along the need to conclude some issues and initiate others, increasing the workload; but the main problem I face right now is related to an under-staffed team, especially in the finances' department: Pedro's replacement won't start before March, and Agata will soon leave on maternity leave. I had already missed Pedro's valuable contribution in the run-up to and during the General Assembly; but now, back to the normal daily routine, his absence is even more obvious and that frightens me. And, as if this was not enough, Friday was Luiza's last day at work... Klavdija will replace her as Head of Department, and I know that, work-wise, her absence won't be felt at all. But I will miss Luiza a lot, in a way that words can't possibly describe. Going back to the office knowing that neither Pedro nor Luiza work there anymore, doesn't seem right... And now that the trinity has been dismissed and the wonder trio won't be more than an old chapter in the YFJ history book, I can't help feeling abandoned and, therefore, alone... There is still a lot of great people working in the YFJ, and most of my colleagues are worth the respect and the admiration I have developed for them; but Pedro and Luiza were the two main pillars that sustained my leadership over these last three and a half years, and with their departures I will lack references. I wholeheartdly wish them the best, and I hope that we will manage to remain close friends, for I don't want to live without them. And, until my own turn to leave comes, in five months, I will work even harder, for I want to honour their legacy and make them proud of the YFJ they helped shaping. So long!