Coloring the Grays

The morning sun streamed onto my face, warm and bright, accompanied by a gentle breeze that felt both calming and welcoming. It was my first day, and I was stepping into the eleven-story building that housed my new office. Just two weeks earlier, I had ended a three-year chapter of my life at a construction company. That same chapter also marked the painful end of my first relationship. Walking away from both had been one of the most difficult decisions I had ever made. As a licensed civil engineer with a master's degree, I had worked tirelessly to achieve this so-called success. My entire life had been driven by my parents' constant pressure to excel and compete with others. A year ago, I also became the founder and CEO of my own construction company. By all standards, I should have felt accomplished. But the moment I stepped into the elevator, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion washed over me. Success suddenly felt meaningless when I remembered how lonely I truly was. When the elevator dinged on the eleventh floor, I made my way to the department where I had been assigned. The office was filled with people. One of them welcomed me and introduced me to our boss. After a brief meet-and-greet, another colleague escorted me to my new cubicle. The moment I sat down in my swivel chair, the smile on my face disappeared. I was exhausted. Not physically. Just... exhausted. I hadn't taken a vacation after resigning from my previous company. Instead, I immediately accepted a position at this new firm, hoping work would keep my mind occupied. I opened my new laptop and began setting it up. A few minutes later, my boss approached me and discussed several unfinished matters left behind by the previous senior manager. "It's lunchtime. Why don't you come and join us?" Engr. Silerio said. "Yeah, uh... thank you, but I brought my own lunch. Maybe tomorrow, Ma'am." I gave her a small smile. "That's okay. No worries. Just let me know if you need anything." She smiled before stepping out of the office. By the way, she was my boss. Engr. Liana Silerio. She was nearing retirement, but according to her, she loved working too much to stop anytime soon. I had just taken out my lunch when a large-built man approached my workstation. "Sir, would it be okay if I turned off some of the lights? We try to conserve energy here." He smiled and extended his hand. "I'm Joseph, by the way. I'm also part of your team, Sir." I accepted his hand and gave it a firm shake. "Nice to meet you. It's my first day, so you can just call me Mike." He grinned. "So, Sir? Is it okay if I turn off half of the lights?" "Yeah, no worries. I'm fine with it." I smiled back. "Okay." A moment later, he switched off half of the office lights. The room was huge, filled with rows of cubicles. The larger cubicles belonged to managers and higher-ranking employees. Apparently, even office spaces reflected the company's hierarchy. I leaned back in my chair and looked around the unfamiliar office. For the first time in weeks, I found myself wondering whether starting over in this place would be enough to help me move on.