The Last "Last Week"

Do you remember the feeling that all of us got during finals week, when everyone was busy taking their room apart? People would move out their old beds and bring in the bulky college beast beds. They would take out their decorations. The rooms would echo more. The hall was loud. The air conditioner would compete with the opening and closing of doors. People would slowly announce their departure. "Alright, I'm going now," or the high pitched voice that was so popular freshmen year, "By Guys!" We would hug, and say "See you next year." We didn't acknowledge that each of these last weeks would lead us to the very last week we would ever move away from Tabor College.

The problem for me is that "last last week" didn't ever happen. Graduation weekend was so much of a crazy rush that I didn't have time to let the thought of leaving sink in. Then I student taught in the fall, and it felt like I had a job on campus. In the spring, I got a job on campus. Hillsboro got under my skin, and I got into Hillsboro.

I finally feel that "Last week" feeling again, but now I am in my office. I am leaving this week. Steve is leaving this week. Clint is leaving this week. The back four offices in our building are cleaning out. The air conditioner is fighting the opening and closing of doors. The rooms echo more. The hallway is loud. Steve announced his departure, "I'm Out! I'm Gone!" and on his way out Clint and Leda told him, "See you around campus."

I am leaving. I will come back to visit. For five years I have been home in this little town in the middle of the middle of the US. No longer will I walk across campus to visit the friends who I have met. No longer will I skip out on obligations to watch Soccer in the fall. No longer will I have late night play practices. No longer will I call people for the phonathon. No longer will I change addresses and update databases.

This is it. This is the break. This is the feeling that I have been waiting for since graduation last year.

Now I can embrace the memories. Now I can come back for reunions and home comings and feel like I am visiting with old friends. Now I can touch a new group of people, and tell them the stories that my Tabor friends already know because they were there when the stories began....