An unfortunate reality of being a part of the Evanston site is that Northwestern University operates on a quarter system. That means that while U of M students have ended the academic year and are at home enjoying the fact that they are done with finals, school and ready to enjoy their summer, Northwestern students are stuck in class, lectures and labs and still have a couple more weeks to go before finals. The world can be very unfair sometimes. If you have time, please send an encouraging email to those you know are are still suffering through the last weeks of school.
As a result of delayed endings, I have been thinking about what it means to end well. More specifically, I will be making a significant move this Summer as I will be relocating once again. If I can be honest about this experience, I admit that the idea of saying another round of “goodbyes” has pushed me to ask myself some really difficult questions. For instance, as I look back I am asking myself whether or not my time here in Chicago has been fruitful. More importantly, I find myself taking inventory of my past three years and assessing the quality of my decisions, my relationships and my life. I am coming to conclude that in order to end well, it is essential to first look back and reflect on what you’ve started and then to take action on any loose ends that have yet to be tied. When it comes to tasks, this is more or less a clear cut endeavor. However, when it comes to relationships, you begin to face the painful task of saying good goodbyes to those who have played a significant role in your life.
For me, ending well has come to mean more than just completing the tasks you have been assigned. It has come to mean facing those who have come to be an integral part of your life, being present with them, affirming the space that they occupy in your heart, saying goodbye and then letting them say their goodbye in the best way they know how.
Whatever ending you may be facing in your life right now - whether it’s your freshman year in college, your job, your relationship, consider what work you need to do in order to end well. It certainly takes a lot of energy and courage to be able to say a good goodbye. It’s worth it though because the mark of a sucessful beginning comes from being able to say a good goodbye. May you be blessed as you end well!
