Edward had always been the picture of dedication. He’d worked for the company since its early days, and even though he had surpassed the age of retirement, his work ethic remained as sharp as ever. His colleagues admired him, and he was well-respected within the company. He had built his career here and believed he would always have a place in the organization.
But one day, everything changed.
The email came out of nowhere. Edward sat at his desk, sipping his coffee, when he opened it, not expecting the blow that was about to hit him. The cold, corporate language was all too familiar:
“The purpose of this notification is to inform you regarding your position in the company… We regret to inform you that there will be a major reduction in the workforce due to corporate restructuring.”
Edward stared at the screen, unable to comprehend what he had just read. His hands froze on the keyboard. Around him, the quiet buzz of the office was suddenly pierced by the soft sobs of his colleagues. He looked up and saw others staring at their screens, their faces pale with shock.
He felt his heart drop. Was this really happening? How could they just do this to him? He had given his entire life to this company. Edward wasn’t just an employee—he was one of the original pillars of this place. And now, without warning, they had decided he was no longer needed.
He scrolled down in disbelief, hoping for a glimmer of hope. But there it was, staring back at him in black and white:
“Unless otherwise notified, you should consider the layoff permanent.”
Tears welled up in Edward’s eyes. He slumped back in his chair, feeling a weariness he hadn’t known before. He couldn’t take his eyes off the screen, which now seemed to mock him with the finality of the message. Edward wasn’t just laid off—he was cast aside. He could feel the weight of the years of hard work, all of it gone in an instant.
But then, as his hands trembled, he noticed something else on the screen. The name of the new owner of the company. Dan Benson.
Dan Benson? The grandson of the company’s founder, Rick Benson. Edward had worked alongside Rick for decades, even stepping down from a top management position to support Rick’s vision when he took over the company. But what was this? Hadn’t Rick passed the reins to Dan just a month ago? And now, Dan had made the decision to lay off the very people who had built the company from the ground up.
Edward felt his heart sink further as he realized the harsh truth: Dan had decided that people like him—older, seasoned employees—were no longer welcome. The company needed “brighter minds,” according to Dan’s view. Those of his age, who had been loyal for so long, were considered to be holding the company back.
Edward could hardly believe it. He emptied his desk, putting his belongings in a dull brown box just like people did in movies after they were fired. This was real, he thought. This was happening to me.
That evening, after he left the office, he returned to an empty home. He lived alone—his wife had passed away years ago from cancer, and his son was abroad, living his own life. No one to talk to, no one to share his disappointment with. The silence in his home seemed louder now than ever before. Edward thought about how much he had poured into his job over the years. For some, their job was everything, and for Edward, it had been.
In the days that followed, the grief of losing his job settled in. The thought of starting something new—a YouTube channel like the young generation, or spending his days in the garden—didn’t appeal to him. What he longed for was his old routine. The office, the reports, the charts. It was all he knew, and without it, he felt lost.
But then, just when he thought his life was stuck in a loop of disappointment, something extraordinary happened.
It was a month after the layoff when Edward was eating breakfast alone in his kitchen when the phone rang. The voice on the other end was stern and professional.
“Am I speaking with Mr. Edward Morales?”
“This is Edward,” he replied, still unsure who was calling.
“Good day, Mr. Morales. I’m Andrew Hoffman, attorney for the late Mr. Rick Benson. I’m calling to inform you that, upon Mr. Benson’s passing, you are now the new owner of his IT firm. I would like you to come to my office to finalize the paperwork.”
Edward nearly dropped the phone. What? He stared at the receiver, his mind racing. “Are you sure you have the right Edward Morales? There must be some mistake!”
“If I’m not mistaken,” the lawyer continued, “you and Mr. Benson were childhood best friends. He often spoke about how you had stepped down from a leadership position, despite co-founding the company with him. He admired you greatly.”
“Yeah, I did… but…” Edward stammered, still trying to process the news.
“Well, in exchange for your sacrifice, Mr. Benson asked that you take over the company after his death. I will email you the details shortly. Please come to my office as soon as possible.”
Edward hung up the phone, his head spinning. Rick was gone, but why had he left everything to him? Dan had just taken over the company a month ago. What did the lawyer mean when he said “we”? Who was waiting for him?
Confused but intrigued, Edward went to the lawyer’s office to get answers. What he learned there was enough to shock him to his core.
When he entered the office, he was greeted by none other than Dan Benson himself. Dan seemed remorseful, his face a mixture of regret and guilt.
“Grandpa wanted me to learn the ropes of running the business, but I made so many mistakes. I fired people who were crucial to the company’s success, and I didn’t understand the weight of what I was doing,” Dan admitted, his voice low.
Edward listened, his heart torn. Dan was still young, still figuring out what it meant to be a leader. He had made mistakes, but he wasn’t beyond redemption. Edward had been through his own share of trials in life. He knew that mistakes could be corrected, but only with time and patience.
“I wasn’t a good boss,” Dan continued. “I won’t argue if Grandpa appointed you as the CEO. He trusted you, Edward. He knew that you could guide the company in the right direction, and I… I agree with him.”
Edward looked at the young man in front of him. His mind flashed back to the days when he had worked side by side with Rick, the founder, and realized that Rick had always believed in him.
“I won’t disappoint him,” Edward said, his voice steady despite the emotions swirling inside him. “But you need to toughen up, Dan. I won’t make this easy on you. If you think I’m going to let you off the hook, think again. This is your chance to learn what it means to be a leader. And I’m going to make sure you’re ready for it.”
Dan nodded, a mixture of fear and determination in his eyes. Edward’s words were harsh, but they were also the kind of tough love Dan needed. This was just the beginning, Edward thought. This would be a bumpy ride, but one that would set things right.
In the years that followed, Edward worked tirelessly to turn the company around. His focus was not just on the bottom line but on teaching Dan the value of hard work and dedication. He pushed Dan, not out of spite, but out of a desire to see him succeed. And when Edward felt it was time for him to step back and let the younger generation take over, he did so with a heart full of pride.
“I was hurt when you fired me,” Edward admitted one day as Dan took over as CEO. “But it’s true, I’m getting a little old for the monthly numbers and the reports. Now, while I enjoy my retirement, make sure you don’t let your grandfather or me down. We have high expectations of you, Dan. We do.”
Dan promised he wouldn’t let anyone down, and he hasn’t. The company has flourished under his leadership, and Rick—wherever he was—would have been proud of both of them.
The Lessons from Edward’s Journey:
- Hard work is essential to success – Dan learned this firsthand as he worked with Edward. It wasn’t easy, but it paid off.
- Age is just a number – Edward showed that mindset matters more than age. He competed with employees much younger than him, all because he never believed he was too old for the job.
- Growth comes through challenges – Both Dan and Edward faced immense challenges, but it was through those struggles that they both grew, learned, and became better versions of themselves.
In the end, Edward’s journey wasn’t just about business; it was about the lessons that transcended age, mistakes, and triumphs.
