I had lunch today with a good friend of mine (let's call him Jake) who is moving away from Small College Town. I am proud of Jake, for he has survived one of the roughest years of his life. Moving away from here will be one of the best things for him. He needs to find a way to start his life over.
In some ways Jake was a personal mentor to me when we first met, as I respect his intellect, his wisdom, and his personality in general. His manner of working with a group of people is remarkable; he is able to note various points of view while facilitating disagreement among others in a civil manner that allows folks to just be themselves and communicate.
The rough spots this past year caused him some personal losses. However, watching the recovery process has been remarkable and makes me respect him even more. It's almost been a rebirth of sorts that is not only truly impressive to watch, but it is also encouraging to me during my own life journey. He was an inspiring force for me during a very low time in my life.
I will miss Jake a great deal, and I must admit it breaks my heart to see him leave. Part of joining the academic world involves getting to know good colleagues and other related friends, only to see them leave toward brighter pastures a few years later. I'm not sure I like this part of academia. On the one hand, I'm so very happy for Jake as he moves on with his life. On the other hand, I already feel a great hole within the small group of people I consider to be my close friends in Small College Town. Student life can be a bit of a lonely wilderness. It's difficult to see people leave this journey earlier than I'd like, but I am excited for the next journey that's about to begin.
Jake, until we meet again: hold your head up high, keep focused on your family, and smoke a couple of stogies once in a while to keep it all in perspective!
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