Wistful

This summer, I have had the privilege of volunteering at The Food Project, a non-profit organization based out of Boston. It truly is an amazing organization [as blogged about previously], doing so many different things in the community around food, youth development, sustainable agriculture, food systems, social justice, and community engagement.


Today was my last day there, although I may try to stay involved through the Fall, depending on my class schedule [lookin' pretty ugly at the moment]. It has been such a lovely two-days-a-week gig this summer ~ out in the fields for Adopt-A-Staff, volunteering at the SYP Overnight out on the farm, stopping off for ice cream after the staff meeting in Lynn because the car engine was having difficulties. These people give with all their hearts, and I love it.



I always get wistful at endings, even if they end in the most beautiful way, and even if it isn't really "goodbye" but "see you again." I'm happy to have made a small contribution to their organization this summer, happy to have landed somewhere I could jump in, feet first. Happy to have been in a place where several staff members commented to me, "You get along really well with us," or "You just seem like one of us."

I have my shirt. I have a lovely card, a bag of amazing cookies, beautiful memories. New friendships. It's always hardest to let go when it works so well, and hopefully this isn't really letting go completely. But still I get wistful, if only because that is how I always react to the end of any period of my life. The moving on, it comes easily once the time has passed. But for now, I'll savor the bittersweet pull of the moment, because as I've learned about myself through these years, that is how I find closure best.