Last year around this time, I came back home from a long exchange in France. The departure ended a life accustomed to the countryside. I still recall the farewell in front of Notre Dame that was bitter and sweet as I parted les Fraudeaus; we've just spent an amazing week in Paris.
Today I wrote my last final to formally ended my Freshman year at McGill. I've been thinking about home and my summer plans, but today I put all that thought on-hold and traveled back in time; back to the freezing, snowy, January. Nature had inspired to me think differently of the "end".
I didn't know why but there always seems to be something...magical before an end comes. As humans, we always find ways to make the ending memorable; be it the final sprint down the straight-way or that good-night kiss to end the perfect date. Nature, too, seems to have its last moment before an end. It threw us the last snow storm before the formal arrival of summer. The "bit of something before an end" certainly agrees with natural law, but, is there not an emotional dilemma here? Why create such good memory when the good memories will only makes suffer worse? Had our friends be strangers, we wouldn't have to go through the emotional turmoil of missing them when they depart from us.
I found a new explanation in why we celebrate the end; it is because we are optimistic. We want what we can't have, but secretly, we know there is a possibly that we could. An end is not an end. We throw those going-away parties because we know, or hope, we will one day reunite with our departed friends. Moments bond people, it connect memories from different individuals into a large network of friendship. We create good memories to override the inevitable not-so-good-moments.
Here is to an unforgettable freshman year @ McGill. Time to celebrate!
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