Watching Goodbye

"I hate saying goodbye!"

We were standing at a tram stop last night in Prague about to go back to our hostel. I turned around and saw one of my senior girls clinging to a friend she'd gotten to spend time with over the weekend at the Honors Choir & Strings Festival at Christian International School of Prague. They'd been friends since elementary and they're both graduating in a few months, going to different schools. Elizabeth knew she wouldn't be back to Prague for a long time and she has no idea when she'll see her friend again.

As we boarded the tram, I watched her sobbing as she looked out the window while Prague passed her by. She had to say a lot of goodbyes this weekend in a very short amount of time. I took it all in, watched her crying, and my heart broke for her. It's what so many of my kids go through year after year.

Saying goodbye isn't something that comes easily, no matter how many times you do it. The interaction between Elizabeth and her friend last night was proof of that.