I think the record should show that this is one of those spontaneous things that we always arrange whenever a loved one departs and it will be so reported in your hearts and I am proud of being one of them.
But on my part, believe me, it is spontaneous.
You are here to say goodbye to me, and I don't have a good word for it in English -- the best is au revoir. We'll see you again some where some how.
I just met with the members of the ECode, you know, those who serve here day in and day out, and I asked them to do what I ask all of you to do to the extent that you can and, of course, are requested to do so: to serve our next Project Manager as you have served me and previous Managers -- because many of you have been here for many years -- with devotion and dedication, because these great teams, great as it is, can only be as great as the men and women who work with rather than work for.
I wish to say some thing about ECode. This isn't the biggest. This isn't the finest. But this is the best. It is the best, because it has something far more important than numbers of people who serve, far more important than the facilities you get. Ecode is best only because of you. Ecode has a great heart, and that heart comes from you.
And so it is with you. I look around here, and I see so many on this staff that, you know, I want you to know that each and every one of you, is indispensable to this Office.
It is only a beginning, always. The young must know it; the old must know it. It must always sustain us, because the greatness comes not when things go always good for you, but the greatness comes and you are really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes, because only if you have been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.
And so I say to you on this occasion, as I leave, I leave proud of the people who have stood by us regardless of Happiness or Sad. I want you to be proud of what you have done and achieved.
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Always give your best, never get discouraged, never be petty; always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.
And so, I leave with high hopes, in good spirit, and with deep humility, and with very much gratefulness in our hearts. I can only say to each and every one of you, we come from many faiths, we pray perhaps to different gods -- but really the same God in a sense -- but I want to say for each and every one of you, not only I will always remember you, not only I will always be grateful to you but always you will be in my heart and you will be in my prayers.
Thank you,
Specail Thanx to Ex US President Richard Nicson
