Hello, friends! It's finals week here at Florida State, and that means that I have a lot of good-byes to say. All week I've been getting together with the students who won't be around during the summer. It's a rather odd feeling, because I'm not going anywhere yet, and most of them will be back next year, but by the time they get back, I'll be gone.
I like to make this joke when I'm with a student: "I don't have favorites, but you're my favorite." In reality, of course I have favorites (everyone has favorites) but I love all of my students. I've interacted with such an incredible mixture of students this year, from freshmen to grad students, from physics majors to art majors, from Quidditch players to museum enthusiasts. I love the variety. I love knowing that each student meet-up will be completely different from the next.
I didn't anticipate getting so emotional this week, but the good-byes I've already had to say have been hard. I wish I could stick around and see all of my students graduate and be with them in the next chapters of their lives. I'm looking forward to moving on in my own life, but it's definitely bittersweet. It'd be great if all of my students could come with me so I wouldn't have to say good-bye.
As PJ reminded me earlier this week, it's probably exaggerating to say I'll never see my students again. In all likelihood, in our small Lutheran world, I'll encounter them again before too long. They'll be at a Gathering or convention or camp, and we'll have a wonderful reunion. I have to keep reminding myself of that this week. This is not the end. It's only good-bye for now, not forever -- for even if I don't encounter them again in this life, we'll be reunited in the next.
I can't think of how to end this well, because I've said enough good-byes this week. I don't need to say it in my blog, too! So until next week, friends.
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