While driving home from work today and I passed the office buildings and shopping mall in Tyson's corner, I suddenly thought of my best college friends and a single thought crossed my mind:  I wouldn't recognize who I've become--traveling as I was in a business suit from work as a government bureaucrat.

These startling words came to me, I suppose, because yesterday I attended a retirement ceremony for someone I've known at work for almost my entire time in my job.  She was retiring after 28 years, and I've been working for 27 years at the same agency....