Today Shalom Meant Good Bye

Note: I tried to post this last night but Blogger wouldn't cooperate

Noodle graduated from pre-school today. Now before I hear the groan about small children and graduations I want to say this: today 13 children went through a rite of passage and said good bye to each other, 13 children whom have mostly known each other since they were one years old. Imagine knowing someone for 80 percent of your life and not being related to them. Noodle joined the fray late at the age of 32 months. These kids knew each other, loved each other, fought with each other, played with each other, learned with each other and went through toilet training together. Of the 13, they are going to 8 different schools so they are really being sent to the 4 corners of Asheville. I think a few will be going to the after school program at the JCC so they will still see each other but in general they are going their separate ways. I used to think it was ridiculous that schools put on graduations for kids but I think it is a good idea after all. They got to put on a talent show for the parents and families, they got to see each other one more time and all the families celebrated our children's amazing lives together. Normally we see each other as we come and go in the morning and evening, we say hi and chat a little but not much. Today we had a cookout and swam and ate cake and re-assured each other about our children's futures. I hope we stay in touch with each other, we have great kids, and our kids have great parents. We were very lucky to get along as well as we do. The JCC has strived to be an excellent pre-school education. Our future, I hope, will continue to be as good. The name of the pre-school is Shalom Children's Center. The definition of Shalom, for you goyim (which I am too), is peace. It is also a common greeting and farewell. They have been learning in a peaceful environment for the last 4 years but today the name changed for me, today I had to say goodbye to not just her preschool but to a community built upon the most important thing in my world, my child and her future. This school didn't have any politicking going on, there wasn't cliques between children or parents (or at least, not that I was aware of). How fortunate to start an education this way. Today we said farewell to such an excellent education. I hope her educational future is as good, I feel fortunate for what we have had experienced so far.
Shalom.