Back to School

Well, summer's over and with it comes that inevitable moment - Michael leaving for school! Don and I took him to Pitt last weekend, car loaded up with the accoutrements of college. He's living in a dorm way up on the hill above campus, so its quite a walk to get down to classes and back up for meals etc. Should be good exercise! The campus was nice - after attending Freshman Convocation, Don and I walked around campus by ourselves. I wanted to show him the Cathedral of Learning, then we wandered into nearby Heinz Chapel, which is an incredible little jewel with gorgeous stained-glass windows and woodcarving. Amazing that ketchup-money (would that make it 'fake blood money'?) could be put to such a grand use!!

Cleaning up I ran across an old photo which I took of Michael leaving on the school bus for his first day of kindergarten. I put it side by side here with his Pitt farewell wave to remind us all how time passes swiftly! I did not expect to get all teary-eyed at departure, but it was harder than I thought. It struck me that it is not the separation - after all, we've been separated before: summer camp, business travel, whatnot - but rather the finality of closing one chapter of life and opening a new one. Its the irreversibility that gets you as a parent, the 'arrow of time'.

Since his departure the house has been quiet. We miss him - and not just because he's the only one who can get our network up and running when there are glitches!! Reports from school are: classes are boring, he's signing up for a lot of clubs, and making new friends. So far, so good!!