Dearest Mel,
It is upon your departure that I have to take this moment to write all the things that I am so glad to have experienced under your guidance over the last 19 months. 19 months of learning, growing, embracing, and finding myself under your guidance. There are more than 19 things that I have learned from you over that time. There are more amazing moments of enlightenment than I can count. Under your guidance I grew to find who I was meant to be. Under your guidance, I was able to find passion for something again. There aren’t enough words to explain just how much these last 19 months have meant to me and how much I have changed for the better because of them. However, I will try.
Someone once told me that being a great leader is better than being a great “boss”. It is with that thought in mind that I always considered you more than just a boss. A Leader is defined as a person who leads or commands a group or organization to success. I feel strongly that under your leadership, I have become a successful strong woman. When I think of strong powerful women that have influenced my growth into a strong, passionate woman, you are right there on the list.
There have been moments of struggle, as I found my footing and my place. There have been moments of angst, as I figured out that I wasn’t superwoman and needed assistance. There were true moments of growth as I failed, learned and moved forward. It was in these moments and lessons that I felt struggle with who I wanted to be and who I truly was meant to be. While you allowed me room to grow, develop, and make mistakes to learn from, I learned that it’s not about who you want to be, its about who you were meant to be, and even though we can pursue great feats and achievements, it is the impacts we make everyday that define us.
I remember the moment on my 25th birthday where I spun around in my chair with excitement as I came to the conclusion that I am truly happy. There was still a lot of things that I hadn’t figured out in my life, but I had figured out on that day, that I was truly happy with the circumstances of where I was, and that I was truly happy where I was. Who would have thought that what I thought was going to be a temporary filing job was going to turn into an amazing mentor-ship opportunity to grow from optimistic bright eyed know-it-all college girl to confident enlightened woman.
From the giggles as I expressed my enthusiasm for where I dreamed my job would go, to the comfort through my heartbreak and heartaches, to my own personal growing pains as I found my footing, it feels like you have been a part of the most crucial years of growth and development. It is with such great enthusiasm that I feel ready to adventure off to new opportunities without you. You have prepared me well. You have helped light my path through the development of myself from a young lady to a woman. You have been a mentor and a leader, and you are without a doubt, and inspiration to have in life. I was always taught to surround myself with strong confident individuals who I could learn from, and I am so happy to be able to have surrounded myself with you.
To the next person who will get the chance to be inspired and lead by you, I want to say, “You are in for a treat, because Mel inspires Greatness, and its the best part of you that she will bring out and help mold.”
So thank you Mel, for always helping me with my weaknesses, and developing my strengths. It always brings me a smile when I think of the moments, and I truly will miss, my Moments with Mel.
The Jayne Project 