Saying Goodbye

There is a time when a child must leave the roost, so to speak, due to relocation. A path that he/she doesn't choose but a choice that is chosen for them. That's life, for every person will move on with their own personal goals and dreams. Saying goodbye is never really an easy thing to do, for the memories and friendships made can never be forgotten. For the kids that once thought were irritating and annoying are the ones that will somewhat be missed because, in a way, they can make the biggest impression in our lives. The kids you get to know and become friends with over the years, are considered to be the ones you truly will never forget. A person can form attachments with these kids which is one of the drawbacks when one works in a place I like to call the Insane Asylum.

One can consider themselves proud parents/older brothers or sisters as each of us see them move on to something better. As their second parent, so to speak, we hope the lessons taught and the advice given will be used in their own lives later down the road. Though he or she might not take it, one hopes a little bit of the advice given is used. We want them to succeed and return to the place that gave them a chance to shine in their own way. For they will eventually have to go through their own trials and tribulations without us at their side. For someday, the kids we brought up for several years will one day return and have kids of their own. A thought that can somewhat frighten a person but put a smile on one's face as well.

For the headaches, letures, and insanity that are associated with the kids that leave are the ones that are truly missed and in a way, we root for them to succeed and consider them underdogs. For we truly never give up on those that have the greatest potential to succeed. We push them to their limit and sometimes they push back, but that's to be expected. One day they will look back at their experiences and realize why we did what we did for them is because we cared. As counselors, we motivate every child to reach a higher level of achievement, but most times, they are not able to reach our expectations. Though they may not reach those expectations, each of us as counselors would be proud to call them "my kids".....most of the time.

As one looks back at the time spent with these kids, one can get somewhat emotional. For one day the journey will end for each of us who work at the asylum to climb our own personal mountain that will lead him or her to one's ultimate goal. By doing that, one will leave behind the people he or she once referred to as co-workers, then friends, and in the end consider them family. For every family has their hardships that can oftentimes be considered Jerry Springer moments. But as a family, we worked through them and hopefully moved on. As each of us looks back at the time spent working in the "nuthouse", we will remember the high points, the low points, the points that made us confused, and the points that made us go absolutely insane.

As I said before, saying goodbye is never an easy thing for anybody to do, for both the child and adult. For we must leave behind all that we once knew and head off into the unknown and I can truly say that my time at the asylum so far have been a crazy, but memorable experience. Once you leave the asylum, you are never really the same person you came in, take it from me. I was very much different when I first started almost 8 years ago. In the end, It's just a matter of thinking positive and knowing that a person can make his or her mark somewhere else and succeed. When my time comes to ride off into the sunset, so to speak, it's not a matter of saying goodbye, that's not my style. It's just a matter of saying see you later.