Missing My Coworker Jason Today

I was going to write something technical this week. Maybe about architecture patterns. Or why most “clean code” debates are just ego in disguise. But instead, I’ve been thinking about Jason. Jason left 20 days ago. Not because of layoffs. Not because of drama. He left to focus on his own business. And ever since, the office feels… different. Not quieter. Just less sharp. Jason was one of those rare developers who looked like a senior on paper — years of experience, big projects, scars from production outages — but still thought like a curious junior. And that combination? It’s dangerous. In a good way. Because most juniors are hungry but unsure. Most seniors are confident but tired. Jason was hungry and confident. The Thing About “Junior” Titles We love labels in tech. Junior. Mid. Senior. Staff. Principal. Wizard. But Jason taught me something simple: Experience is not about years. It’s about ownership. I’ve seen juniors with 2 years of experience take more responsibility than seniors