Farewell Tour, Part 2

Wednesday was the last time I´ll get to participate in the local Unitarian church´s Vespers service. I have been part of the group leading the repetitive phrase singing that is the bulk of the Taizé-style service. The style and non-Christian focus were a perfect fit for me. I´m not sure I´ll be able to find anything like it again, and I´ll miss it.

The next day, I had a goodbye coffee with one of my graduate school advisors, who is now retired. We talked about all of his new interests and my future plans and then I said goodbye, perhaps for the last time. After all, I don´t have any more reason to connect with my previous professional community, and if I visit DC in the future, I´ll probably spend my limited time with my closest friends only. 

Yesterday I went for the first time, and the last, to the Maryland Renaissance Faire. I am a minor groupie for my friend´s madrigal singing group, but I had never seen them in what was clearly their natural habitat. It was delightful to listen to hours of Renaissance music and see so many people happily immersed in their chosen community. I thought a bit about how long it will take me to learn Spanish well enough to enjoy days like this in the future. 

This week the house goes on the market. I moved up my previous timeline, because I suddenly have the impetus to make things happen. The photographers and the realtor did amazing things with staging (aka ¨cute¨ things carefully strewn about) and filters, so I hope it will sell pretty easily. You can see all the magic they did here.

It is starting to feel quite real, and it is definitely bittersweet. I am giving up not just my house, but almost all of my possessions and putting a large distance between me and most of my friends. I expect it will pay off in the long run, but right now I just keep saying goodbye.