Look inside your heart

Goodbyes are always hard. 

The end of the school year is a time of excitement, joy and accomplishment. It's a time of celebration and togetherness, a chance to soak in our classroom community one last time. It is also a sad time, as we must say goodbye to each other. On a personal note, this was a particularly difficult goodbye because I am leaving my amazing "work wife" Katy, a school I love, and the most amazing children I've ever had the pleasure of working with. It's a bittersweet time.

We took our celebration to the splash pad this week, and had a beautiful time together. As I watched my happy children jump, shriek and dance with joy, I felt tears well up. It always surprises me how much I come to care for my students, and just how hard it is to say goodbye.

 

During the last few moments we had as a class, I handed out goodbye letters to the children one by one. They spontaneously started hugging me, and I soaked in the love they so readily gave. Mia was the last child to get her letter, and as she reached for it, she smiled widely. 

Then she said, "Miss Russell, when you look inside your heart you will see all of us hugging you."

She was right.