With less than a week to go before our departure, we’ve been compelled to reluctantly commence the melancholy round of goodbyes to the many people and places that make up our daily life here at home.
It’s an opportunity to reflect on and then all the better appreciate that what really matters are things we so easily take for granted, like those great friends who (we assume) will always be around, and so we forget to see them as often as we really should. It’s also chance to acknowledge the incredible surroundings that make our neck of the woods so special — the countless hues of green, the way the light filters through the mist over the hidden creeks on the hillsides early in the morning, the total peace and quiet that can be found minutes away from our doorstep, the fact that our kids can roam freely and safely throughout town.
And nothing makes you appreciate just how special are the bonds of our community like a party that brings together dozens of the people that really matter. It’s a great way to see them all off in style — and a reminder that you’ll be without them all for six months. I’m the introvert from hell, and I usually don’t do or enjoy parties. But when two wonderful friends organized a send-off for us at our community bread oven Friday night it grew into one of those very special moments: wonderful food on a completely magical night in Vermont, great company, kids being kids, old acquaintances getting back in touch. Lots of smiles, no dancing — perfect.
So, thank you, Kristin and Holly, for making that happen. We are indeed fortunate to be in the position to make our adventure in Rwanda happen, but we are even more fortunate to have this amazing community waiting for us when we come back home.
