Endings are weird. You’re excited and people want to make sure that you’re appropriately sad to move. You’re nostalgically sad as you prepare to move on and people want to make sure you’re excited.
You think back on moments from your tenure - the funny, the sad, the frustrating, the ridiculous, and the real. You think about all the lessons you learn from your wins, from your "that could have gone better" moments, and from your flops.
As I pack up my books and dust the shelves, I think about how particular readings helped me serve different students. As I take down my photos, quotes, and artifacts, the office becomes a little less mine as I get it ready for it’s next owner. As I throw away the papers and items that I held on to for too long and have’t referenced in a while, I remember that I don’t need to hold on to everything as I move on. It’s the lessons, laughter, memories, and the people that I carry with me. Every place I have lived and worked is a part of who I am and has shaped me.
