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Writers Corner |
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A Moving Experience
It's that time of the year again…. back to school…. to college…. back to university. My memories of grade school and high school are fading now-slipping away like a warm summer breeze. Wow! How poetic! I can recall, however, quite vividly, traipsing back and forth to St. John's for two or three weeks buying clothes, school supplies and other necessary stuff.
And that can be a "moving" experience in more ways than one – moving from my
town to the city-moving from mall to mall - moving one youngster from the
back seat to the front seat for peace sake.
It's all part of it. And when they leave you - when you kiss your
kindergarten baby who is heading off for that first day - when you hug your
Level III, who is beginning that final year - when you say "bye" to your
children who are progressing through the in-between years - it can wrench
your heart to tears. I suspect there will more than hearts wrenched this
year, considering the state of the education scene in our province. As they
leave you remember this - we give them roots and wings. You know, there are
times when even the wings look good...like when they are between 18 and 20
and they are moving - either into residence or into an apartment...either
within the province or out of the province.
Now, if they're going into residence, the moving is a little different. They
do not need a bed - they just need the most expensive bed - dressing money
can buy. They do not need dishes - they need a small fridge - to keep extra
food you must buy because the expensive meal plan doesn't fill them up or
they just don't like it. I lucked out here – my culinary skills are not the
best and my child actually liked the institution food! How hurtful!
Another thing a residence person needs, is clothes - that even your mother
couldn't make you wear 50 years ago. Oh yes and a supply of multi-colored
hair dyes comes in handy. Some how these things help these young people to
search for and find their identities -they just want to belong. Don't we all
- I would like to belong to another group besides the "retired poor"!
If your son or daughter is moving into an apartment, that's different again.
Your house may be dented up form attempts to move the few sticks of
furniture you are trying to keep in your basement. Then after you've bought
sets of pots and pans - sets of dishes, sets of towels, sets of sheets etc.
they will still take yours. It's only when you visit them that you discover
this and you keep saying: "Oh, that’s where that went!" Surrounded by all
your own stuff can sure make you feel at home. They have taken everything
that wasn’t "nailed down" which expression reminds me...We cannot "nail
down" a person. We give them roots - we must give them wings. Happy moving!
Catherine Kelly
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