The Richard Spooner column: Reflecting on a Pressing month�

I was scrolling through social media one gloomy morning and saw a small note that said: “Just remember five years ago, you dreamed about where you are now! ”

After wiping an incongruous tear trickling down, I started reflecting on this month 's happening that touched me personally.

After doing freelance for a year and going up and down on the retail ladder, I finally took the first step of my career, thanks to the Chamber, as a press and PR executive.

The month saw a new PM being appointed, the longest-reigning monarch passing away, a new king on the throne and Sri Lanka winning the Asia Cup in a miraculous way. Memorable doesn 't necessarily cut it.

At work, the press team is now almost complete; exactly as a family of three generations. There 's the grandpa director, who looks very much like a Brummie version of Santa Clause (sans the beard, just burgeoning stubble). Then there 's your father figure - the manager who sorts everything out from making last-minute copy edits to brewing your evening tea.

Then there 's me, a long-removed overseas member of our revered founding father 's clan in whose name this column is written.

We function daily pretty much like one big happy family - grandpa 's “in the golden days ” stories coupled with the manager 's dad jokes create a great work environment.

Looking back, it 's safe to say that I am learning from the best in the business now. Despite the office being turned to one big chiller towards the latter bit of the month, everyone around is pleasant.

For a bloke who has worked and seen the not-so-nice-side of the retail sector, this time surrounded by a work family of colleagues is not only informative, it 's a healing process too.

FJ