Richard Villanova

After 14 years of service today was officially my last day at Lumen / CenturyLink. I was notified of my impending doom back in April, shortly after the company stated that the year prior and first quarter results were less than desirable.

As the telecommunications industry is facing significant headwinds towards profitability and relevance, there is a push to save money by offshoring software development roles. While I believe this can save a company operating cash, I don’t believe the answer lies in sending all software jobs offshore as there are significant challenges in doing so.

While I don’t have a clear picture of my next role just yet, I will be taking a few months to reflect, reset and re-evaluate.

I know you can’t see this much less read it. It’s been a few days since I’ve lost you and I’m trying to find the strength to write this without slobbering all over myself with tears. You were truly the best dog a person could have, you were always there for me, when I was happy, when I was sad and when I just wanted a hug. I swear you were part human, the way we connected sure felt like it. Although the last few months of your life were difficult and the pain was great, all I can do it apologize for my selfish reasons for wanting to keep you by my side as long as possible. I hope you forgive me…

I feel so guilty for tricking you with hamburgers as a distraction so the vet could inject you with medicine that put you to sleep, and I keep playing that out in my head ALL THE TIME. But, I take solitude in the fact you are now at peace, pain free. I truly hope that where you are now there is an unlimited amount of tennis balls and someone is throwing them for you to catch and there is a great pool for you to jump and swim in. Those were your favorite things to do and although they stopped the during the last few years they are the things I will remember most about you.

This picture is was taken on your last day, and even though it may not look like it you were in a great deal of pain, I wanted so badly to take your pain, I tried everything… But we got to the point where all the pain killers stopped working and you were hurting every day to do the most basic things like walk, eat, sleep.

I’m writing this to you to let you know that I just didn’t kill you, that is my guilt and I have to got over it. I’m writing this so that you know I love you, and I did the only thing left in my power to receive your pain. I hope you understand, what I did was out of love. And while it hurts me so much, I know it was best for you.

I will try to move on. I know it’s going to take time. I know it’s going to hurt. I will never forget you, I will will always remember you as being the most happy, playful loyal companion you were.

Until we see each other again, know that you will always live in my heart. I love you…

If anyone out there is reading anything that I put out here I encourage all of you to exercise your civil right to vote. I myself will be voting for Biden because of my personal beliefs that the GOP has divided this country and made it political to prevent you or others from spreading COVID-19 by simply wearing a mask. I encourage all of you to please VOTE the GOP out of office.

In todays world I’m amazed by how much solidarity I see between people of all races, colors, religions and sexual preferences. However, while there has been some improvements in the past decades in the way people think of each other I think there are great improvements that need to be still had. In my mind a persons color of their skin, sexual preference or religion does not matter, what matters most is how that other person treats me. As in the bible, do onto others as you would want other to do onto you.