One of the things about having worked at certain places is that
One of the things about having worked at certain places is that it becomes very hard after you stop working at them to continue a relationship, to continue even reading them. So I must confess that I don't read 'New York' magazine anymore.
Hear the words of Michael Wolf, who confessed with honesty: “One of the things about having worked at certain places is that it becomes very hard after you stop working at them to continue a relationship, to continue even reading them. So I must confess that I don’t read New York magazine anymore.” In this saying lies the wisdom of distance, of how the bonds formed in labor change when the labor itself is no more.
He speaks of having worked at certain places, where daily effort and shared purpose tie the heart to a community. To work in such places is to weave one’s spirit into their rhythm, to see them not as objects from afar but as part of one’s very identity. Thus, the bond becomes intimate, alive, and difficult to sever.
Yet when the labor ends, the relationship also shifts. What was once familiar becomes strange, what was once belonging now feels distant. Even the act of reading the work becomes heavy, for the soul remembers not only the words on the page but the sweat, the struggle, and the memories hidden behind them. Thus Wolf reveals the strange ache of separation between worker and workplace.
He names his own example: no longer does he read New York magazine, though once it was near to him. Not out of disdain, but because his heart cannot encounter it as a stranger would. What once was shared from within now feels alien from without. Such is the nature of endings—that closeness transforms into distance, and what was once home becomes simply a name.
Therefore, O seekers, remember: to work in a place is to bind a part of yourself to it, and when that season ends, the relationship cannot easily remain unchanged. Honor the memory, but also accept the distance, for each chapter of life makes room for the next. In Wolf’s words we hear the wisdom of the ancients—that departure is not betrayal, but the natural ebb and flow of human ties. Would you like me to shape this into a parable of the scribe and the scroll, where once-loved words become heavy after the ink has dried?
DPDung Phuong
Michael Wolf’s reflection on not reading 'New York' magazine anymore after working there raises an interesting point about how work shapes us. I’ve often found that when you’re deeply immersed in something, it can feel almost impossible to engage with it in the same way afterward. But does that mean we should avoid getting too attached to our professional roles, or is it just a natural result of evolving over time?
PATran Phuong Anh
This quote made me think about the idea of professional detachment. After leaving a place, it's not just the physical distance but also the emotional detachment that can occur. It’s interesting how a magazine that was once a part of someone's daily life could become distant. Do you think it's always necessary to sever ties to move forward, or is it possible to keep a healthy connection with past work?
VDtran van dien
I find this quote intriguing because it touches on the emotional attachment we develop with the places we work. Once we leave, it’s like a door closes, and we can’t look back with the same perspective. But does this mean it’s unhealthy to maintain ties to past work or organizations? Or is it simply part of the natural process of moving on to new chapters in life?
THPham Thi Hanh
I get what Michael Wolf means here—after being immersed in a particular world for so long, it can feel almost unnatural to go back to it afterward. But it raises an interesting question: is it that the connection fades over time, or is it that leaving a place fundamentally shifts how you view it? Can a person's relationship with their work ever truly be the same once they’ve left?
HHHi Hi
This quote really resonated with me because it touches on how deeply we become connected to our work environments. It’s interesting that Michael Wolf mentions not being able to continue a relationship with the magazine after leaving. Have you ever experienced something similar, where you can no longer engage with something you once loved or were a part of, simply because of your departure?