the school year ended in a flurry of tears and hugouts. my dry eyes lasted all day, until one of my girls moved in for a bear hug and didn't let go. in all my years of teaching i never had a more difficult time saying goodbye.
i told another child, a sad truth of life is that you will love & say goodbye to many many people throughout your life. i couldn't even finish saying it without my voice breaking.
the parents were wonderful. kind, good, people who love their children and appreciate the teacher who spent the year with them.
everyone lined up for pictures.
everyone lined up for hugs. even the painfully shy kids weren't leaving without one.
i finished up early yesterday and headed home with flowers, bags of vietnamese coffee, letters, a tiny pot of bamboo, and one trader joe's bag of supplies I brought with me in august.
as i drove up to moss cottage, i noticed one of the branches of the peach tree was heavy with fruit.
it was as if they had ripened overnight!
i picked some and brought them inside.
today i sat down and painted them in front of the window.
i thought about yesterday when i closed the doors of room 26 for the last time and walked away…
i thought of driving past the temple and of how my heart was bigger and softer than it had been in august.
i said goodbye, but also hello to a new clear surface for my life. a new road. a new adventure.
one child wrote me a dear note and then at the very bottom:
read this when you're 70 years old.
i pasted it into my journal that i started last summer. made my last entry on the last page.
took the whole journal full of notes and writing, put a rubberband around it and set it on the shelf.
another chapter finished.
a new one begun.
*gaaassp!*
You have a peach tree? Ow, my heart! Tree peaches are the most wonderful things… My grampa had an orchard of them once, and I spent some summers just perched in the grass, surrounded by peaches!
We can’t grow peaches at home, only in the more arid climate about 6 hours away from here, and even then, they’ve all been torn down and replaced with grapes! Every *good* peach I eat, I wonder if it’s the last good peach I’ll ever have for the rest of my life. It’s been at least 6 years since the last “good peach”, and probably 20 years since the peach before last.
Store-bought is so flavourless and dry! Can hardly blame the peach bandits!
I would almost move to LA so my grandkids could have you for a teacher. What a magical year it would be for them!
Those painted peaches look better than the real ones, oh wise one. xo
Just a beautiful story, Mary Ann.
Hugs from me too,
Sheila
Your students will always remember you, Mary Anne. You are one of those very special teachers that go through life with you, and teach lessons well beyond the classroom. What a lovely ending and new beginning. Oooh LALAAAA @ those peaches! I adore the ones painted on the patterned paper! I would BUY that! Gorgeous! Thank you for all of the inspiration, wit, and adventures in the daily life at Moss Cottage and the world! Looking forward to the next chapter…
I had a teacher, Mrs. White, in the 5 or 6th grade and when she talked about her travels to Spain, Portugal, Greece, I listened with intent. Of course, when I was standing there one day listening to her talk, I fainted. Boy, that floor was nice and cool.
She reminded me of you with your students, so I was blessed to know my teacher, like your students with you. Kids remember their teachers.
Love your stories, journals and blogs.
Your watercolor technique & skill growth continues to thrill me. I like the variations in peaches from the very assured strokes and blends of the top pages to the Asian inspired fruit on the patterned paper.
I think it’s absolutely lovely to love enough to weep at departures. So does Gandalf.
“I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil.”
When i was a wee child, i put up a tough- little -girl face….you’d never have caught ME crying…
Now that i’m an older child, tears come so easily.
For instance, this post makes me cry,
all of it,
including the fact that those luscious peaches ‘ain’t’ in my yard. ;))
Happy trails to you, Mary Ann.
It’s been my pleasure to peek in on your life.
xo
sass
Mary Ann, thank you so much for sharing this! I’m reading it Monday morning and I think it is a good way to start the week — with my heart full.
So what you’re telling me is that in the midst of life, hold onto the hugs and look for ripe peaches 🙂 Welcome to your new life chapter.
those ripe luscious peaches were another salute from the kiddos, warm & fuzzy to bring into your home of great memories.
summer is here…..
What an amazing year it has been. Thanks for letting me come along. We were at Phillipe’s the other day and I thought of you.
Read this indeed when you are 70 years old! Or maybe even 60.
Just finished reading The Dovekeepers and went to my computer only to find teary good-byes and succulent peaches. Almost too much! I think that I am finished for the evening. Great peach painting BTW.
I wish I could remember a teacher that had such an impact on my life as you have had on so many of your students. Wish I could have had you as a teacher but alas, I am older than you. It never could have happened!! Looking forward to more of your adventures!
I was so moved by this post. I am glad you got to enjoy the year and be so helpful to your students that it was hard very hard to say goodbye. A woman full of wisdom you are that gets to guide young hearts and minds. Love your peaches too!
so moving because it’s so true. goodbyes are hard because some people touch us so deeply xo
Endings and beginnings, so nice that they come together or our hearts might break in two. What a blessing for you and the kids to have shared these months together. So special.
Your lovely peach paintings are making my mouth water. You’ve captured their yummy color exactly. Peaches and cream for breakfast? Bliss.
I’d have been a blubbering mess with those sweet students. You found the perfect classroom to teach and to say goodbye to that has to be hard. Those kids will mark you down as a favorite teacher in their lives, one who made a difference…I fondly remember my teachers who made such an impact even tho’ it’s been 60 + years later.
The peaches make my mouth water. Has to be in the top 5 favorite fruits.
I’m looking forward to the next chapter in The Adventures of Ms. Moss On Her Magic Carpet.
Lovely way to end the school year! What a blessing you are to your students. And ripe, home grown peaches, yum!
Aloha, Kate
What a glorious chapter ending, thanks! And the one to come…. How bad can it be starting with peaches? Hugs!
So many of your readers have left more eloquent comments about this lovely post than I could, but suffice it to say, I enjoy tagging along on your very interesting, full and creative life via your blog. Lucky kids to have had you for a teacher. And I hope those peaches taste as good as they look!
Heart bigger and softer… I love your eloquence and your patterned peaches.
Wonderful way to end your year with those great kids! It’s those little things I find I miss now that I am retired, enjoy them with all your heart! I look forward to seeing where your adventurous soul takes you this summer!
Thanks so much for sharing this experience in such an eloquent and personal way. This final lesson you gave your students (and your readers) may prove to be one of the most important things you could convey. Understanding that people, pets, events, jobs, hobbies, joy, sadness….the list could go on…will come into our lives for a season. We take what they have to teach us and return the favor when we have something to offer. These children have, no doubt, been so fortunate to have you in their lives for this season. The lessons they learned can’t be quantified in traditional ways but your parting gifts and comments from them give you the essence of what they are taking with them. Lucky kids! Lucky YOU!
That left me with the lump in my throat that says I’d be crying if I had to speak. To be paid to have an experience that leaves your heart bigger and softer is a true blessing. Bon voyage on the next chapter!
You are such a beautiful human being.
Sigh. Lovely post, delectable peaches and a most loved teacher. Those children will still be talking about you when THEY are 70! You should be proud. Five gold stars for you, Ms. Moss.
XO
cause i know things
Who told you it would be such a good idea to paint peaches on patterned paper?
You caught this perfectly…you are such a good writer! Have a wonderful new adventure!
Thank you for sharing so well. I enjoy your posts and art very much.
Elizabeth
LOVELY WAY TO END YOUR YEAR AND BEGIN A NEW ADVENTURE. bITTERSWEET. lUCKY YOU TO HAVE YOUR VERY OWN PEACH TREE!!
Those peaches look mouthwatering.
I despise goodbyes and avoid them as often as possible by skirting out the back door. Which you can’t do in your classroom. After my first few years of teaching I was able to handle them a little better, but never easy.
Bless your heart.
I wouldn’t have been able to hold it together either. Goodbyes are hard.
Perfect.