At the end, you think about the beginning.

Okay, so it is not the end. But it is the end of something. As one of my favorite inspirations/crazy people, Henry David Thoreau, once said, "I left the woods for as good a reason as I went there. I had several lives to live and could not spare any more time for that one.... There is more day to dawn. The sun is but a morning star."

It is the start of a new life, I suppose. Living on a different continent, not working in food service, being largely separated from all things familiar. Yikes.

Anyway, this weekend, I was blessed to be around most of

my very favorite people ever and I just kept thinking about, you know, the beginning and how many things had changed since we first met.

That is one of my best friends, Beth. When we first met, we were strangers forced to share a hotel bed during a wonderous conference for a legendary service club, Circle K International. Since then, we have survived a hotel fire, an international rendezvous, spending quality time with snarky old ladies, voyages to Kentucky, haphazardly running our Circle K club, planning a large conference, breaking a hotel, and thousands of other things. From the stranger in my bed to the person I can depend on for absolutely anything and everything, Beth is one of the best parts of my life.

This is another one of my best friends, Kevin. When Kevin and I met, we were the awkward new kids in the student government and vaguely aware of each other through Circle K. Kevin liked(/s) etiquette and tried to teach me how to eat peas off the back of my fork and how to not cut my French Onion soup with a knife. Despite our near-opposite-iveness and his inclination towards stability/cleanliness and mine towards adventure/mess (as well as his proclivity to attack me with plates), we have become pretty good beefs, even to the point that Kevin journeyed to the bowels of Kentucky and slept outside to support me! Kevin is another one of the best parts of my life.

I seem to not have a picture of my friend Greg and me, but I know one was taken this weekend! Greg was initially Kevin's friend who referred to him as a pretty fish, then to the person who dropped me off for the ramp-not-stairs Amtrak journey, to the person who encouraged adventures round-and-about UD and Flyer Island, and is now one of the most dependable, funny, and encouraging people that I know. Without Greg and Kevin, I literally would not be journeying because I would not have been able to navigate various transportation methods. Greg is another one of the best parts of my life.

This is another one of my best friends, Nina Roesh, and me in front of one of our favorite academic buildings. Nina and my relationship began as a residential senator/SGA hopeful awkward encounter and following several more awkward encounters in Roesh library, the SGA office, and DC, Nina has become someone with whom I love to reminisce, speak with about academics and ideas, exchange ridiculous stories, and dream about the future. Nina is another one of the best parts of my life.

And these are two of my oldest (not age-wise) and more loyal friends, Nicole and Emily. Nicole and I were awkward new kids together in high school, dodging murderous lockers, and I once mistook Emily for a hobo's daughter. Since, we have gone through so much together: conditioning in the hallways of St. Peter's, watching/reading about the deaths of favorite characters, transitioning from high school to college, becoming lost in Chicago, ridiculous New Year's celebrations, and just generally laughing so hard we nearly pee. They are two of the best parts of my life.

And it would be silly to neglect some of the groups of amazing people and friends that taught me so much about living life, loving others, and being oneself.

This is my UDSAP community (the "Kentucky thing" for the non-UD/international friends). UDSAP taught me about being afraid of bunny rabbits, cooking copious amounts of food for hordes of visitors, listening, simplicity, cliff-jumping, living in community, learning to trust/depend on others, living in the moment, and being present to others. I couldn't even imagine doing a year of volunteering without this poignant experience.

And this is my lay Marianist community, the Vessels. They are an incredibly inspiring group of individuals, each one changing the world in a way only he or she can. They remind me of the importance of community, social justice, faith, and trust/hope. I have drawn so much strength from them during the past year and know that we will continue to be a source of support and love for each other for quite some time.

And then there is 9 Evanston. An entire blog would not be enough to cover all the glory and hilarity that was 9 Evanston, but through many 3am chats in our ever-so-slightly-messy living room, Mallory and Natalie encouraged and inspired me to volunteer on this rather brisk island while they are following their dreams in Hawaii. Fair is fair.

And then there are the amazing, awe-inspiring Bob and Jeanie and Joan and AJ who allowed me to live with them during this semester while I worked for catering to earn enough money to volunteer. Without their incredible generosity, hospitality, kindness, and faith, this would not have been possible. There is no way I can thank them enough!

And, of course, there is my family. While I miss them so incredibly much, it is a huge comfort to know that I am surrounded with so much love and support from these amazing people. I have twenty-two years worth of thanks to give them, but, for the sake of this blog, this will have to suffice... THANK YOU.

Essentially, I am one of the luckiest people ever to have these wonderful beings in my life. Without them, I probably wouldn't me as sad about leaving, but, without them, I wouldn't be brave enough to do so either. I'm excited to see where the next year of our lives takes our friendships/familyships and am confident that, no matter what, we'll all make through with a smile, a snarky comment, a belly-laugh, and an appreciation for all things awkward/amazing.