I'm weird cause I hate goodbyes

If I had known exactly one year ago everything that was to happen this past year, I would have invested in Kleenex.

I hate goodbyes. No matter how much I try to raise my own gumption by telling myself there are hellos to come... I fail and become yet a better friend with Sir Kleenex.

Today was the last day of school with my dear students...  somewhere within the 180 days together, I hope and pray a little bit of something I said or did stuck :) They are often my source of comfort and strength, innately aware when Ms. Shen needs a squeezy hug. They are often sources of inspiration, in the way they are so raw with emotions, so hopeful and expectant of thrilling things to come, so immediately forgiving and energetic. They are often sources of random-ness smiles :) Yes... I hate goodbyes. At the end of a school year, I normally get pretty sad already but compounded with a move across the ocean? A Kleenex box for each droopy eyeball please!

Even packing up some of my classroom books has been difficult. There are quite often so many memories surrounding a shared & loved book with students. The decision process itself, involving which books stay, which books get boxed up, and which books might make the trek overseas has provoked Kleenex.

During our end-of-year school assembly, it always culminates with a photographic slideshow set to music. The last song to the slideshow was where the lyrics of this blog title came from - hopefully you'll have a look/listen. But "The Moment" came when the kids were singing along with the song. I sat there, looking out across the little heads - some bobbing along, some swaying, some just steady - "I'd like to make myself believe, that planet Earth turns slowly..." Stretching this moment out just a lil bit longer... chills & tingles... inevitably, one of my little kids looks straight at me and our eyes catch, a tiny smile creeps out. AND... Kleenex is a blessing :)