Five Minute Friday: Close

It is Five Minute Friday day and today's word could not be more perfect for me.  It is one of those words that English Language Learners struggle over.  Is it close (meaning to shut) or is it close (meaning near)?  I am choosing the shut context of the word.  Being a part of Five Minute Friday is simple. Here are the steps to follow if you want to be part of this circle of writing friends. 

1. Check what the prompt is on Lisa Jo's blog.
2. Write a post in only five minutes on that topic on your blog.
3. {And if you don’t have a blog, no worries! Just leave your comment on her comment section.
4. Link back to Lisa Jo's blog and invite friends to join in.
5. Select the permalink to your post {so not your blog url www.lisajobaker.com but your post url www.lisajobaker.com/2012/07/five-minute-friday-2/ }
6. Using the blue linky tool at the bottom of her Five Minute Friday post enter your link.
7. It will also walk you through selecting which photo you want to show up in the linky.
8. Your post will show up in the Five Minute Friday linky.
9. Be sure and encourage the person who linked up before you!

Our most important requirement for participation: There’s really only one absolute, no ifs, ands or buts about it Five Minute Friday rule: you must visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.

The word for today is close:

Go

This morning we had a retirement breakfast to honor the teachers whose teaching careers have come to a close.  Each person was introduced by someone special to them and they came on stage and got a little goody from the system.  While we ate a powerpoint was shared with us and one of the quotes on the slide show was this: "Have you ever been out for a late autumn walk in the closing part of the afternoon, and suddenly looked up to realize that the leaves have practically all gone? You hadn't realized it. And you notice that the sun has set already, the day gone before you knew it — and with that a cold wind blows across the landscape. That's retirement." ~Stephen Leacock  Dwight B., who teaches with me, is closing his career out with 37 years.  I will never make it that far.  I am just hoping to make 25 next year.  Then I too will sit and be recognized as I close out a chapter in my book of life and begin another one. 

Today also marks the close of the 2014 school year for 258 seniors.  Tonight they will walk across the field, be handed a diploma and life as they have known it thus far will close.  Some of them will go to work, some will head off to college, some will enter the military....whatever they do....their childhood has closed and their adulthood has begun.  As they practice on the field for the close of this chapter of their lives I sit in my classroom and put this year to bed.  While they are on the field practicing I am getting my grades run and grade verification sheets run for our registrar.  I am putting all things on the floor up or in a closet so the janitors can make my floors all shiny for next year.  Right this minute in the stillness and quite of my room I am sitting at my desk thinking about next year at this time when I too will experience the close of my career as a teacher.  As an avid reader, sometimes closing a book makes me sad....other times it fills me with great wonder....and if it is not worth reading....it fills me with hope.....hope that the next book will be better.  Here is to life.  Here is to beginnings.  Here is to closings. God Bless You!