On the end of a season

I am a little sad.

One of my students from my first year of teaching came by to visit today. Five years later, it's incredible to see how much they've been changed, but how they still remember you and your class.

I started cleaning out my classroom this week. It's still quite cluttered with student work and miscellaneous materials, but it's starting to feel eerily empty.. Five years in this classroom, of nearly 900 days, 4500 periods, and of tens of thousands of projects and drawings started and (hopefully) completed. But of stories shares, relationships forged, and lessons taught and learned. I wonder what they'll do with it come Fall and who it'll be replaced with.

It's funny that I essentially took the past two years waiting for this time to arrive, and now that it's finally here, I'm wondering if I'm really ready to let go.

Two years ago, the day after I received my acceptance letter from NYU Wagner, I watched Keith walk into first period and suddenly felt immensely sad at the thought of not being there to see him through high school. Well, two years later, I've seen that class make their way towards graduation and I feel more ready. But then there is the thought of next year's class.. I guess the cycle must come to an end sometime.  I'm glad it's ending with Keith's class.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. In particular,

a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

- Ecclesiastes 3.6

Still seeking closure, but thankful at least for this season of time to work with these students and all that they've taught me.