Saying Goodbye

Absence makes the heart grow fonder – proverbial

Suddenly the end of term rolled over us and it was time to say some unexpectedly hard farewells. Not only (but particularly) to our Headmaster and his wife, moving to another school after twelve years, but also (and particularly) to dear colleagues who will have retired by the time we return.

And then farewells to the other many people, teachers, pupils, support staff, tutees – the threads, the complex warp and weft making up the fabric of the community. Knowing how fond we are of them all, after twenty-five, thirty years.  We’re so glad to be having this time away – and so glad to be able to come back!

And now we have taken our leave of friends and relatives too.  All the packing is done, and a heap of items on our wishlist judged not strictly necessary and discarded.  Our heads are full of spreadsheets and maps and accommodation decisions and weather forecasts and bookings and items crossed off endless pages of lists; it feels as though our brains are leaking out of our ears.

Soon it will just be path unrolling before us and one foot in front of the other.

An 1800km path…