The little things – saying goodbye – the central trend

The end of the trip my parents took me for senior year.

I have always struggled with saying goodbye, closing a door from my past to move into the unforeseen future. Saying goodbye can be difficult, but not this one.

I stand on the threshold of a new chapter of my life, excited about what the future will bring. I don’t know if I will achieve everything I set out to do, but I am hopeful. I don’t close a door behind me, but run forward to throw open the doors of everything that could be.

Traveling through Forest Hills Central has been just a short stepping stone to the rest of the world, presenting me with many challenges and preparing me for the inevitable surprises of life to come. I’ve grown here and watched my friends grow with me. We have all reached the end and as easy as it would be to stick to what is known, I embrace the change with open arms.

I will no longer wake up dreading walking into college algebra. I will no longer be surrounded by a whirlwind of drama that distracts me from my passions. No longer will I walk into class at seven forty-five and start on the same day for months.

Now I have the freedom to study what I’m passionate about and cultivate those skills into something that can improve our world. I am free to discover what life has to offer and to capture as many valuable, beautiful memories as possible. I have no desire to look back on my life and observe it as you lived it by the book. I hope to one day be able to reflect and smile back on all the adventures I’ve had, the places I’ve been and the people I’ve shared those experiences with.

Life is too short to dwell on the past, and too short to fear the future. You must learn, as I try, to live in the present and cherish the moments given to me.

Even as I anticipate my future, I will miss the people I have met in my four years here. It will be the hardest goodbye yet. I will miss seeing those who made me laugh in the darkest of times, I will miss hanging out with them on the weekends, and I will miss the tight web of comfort that I have woven myself into.

I’m afraid that when I go to college, that web will collapse and I’ll lose the connections I’ve worked so hard for. But I also realize that breaking up will not break our web, but will expand and grow into something new. Something more beautiful than anything I could have ever imagined.

So thank you, FHC, for leading me into the world with wonderful people and a heart full of passion. Bye.