Airport

Right now I am in the Tel Aviv airport, we board the plane at 10:25 pm. It was absolutely surreal leaving the center. I didn't feel sad or anything, I think it is because we just loaded on the buses like we normally do for field trips and we left. It was just like a normal departure from the center but we will not be returning. I don't think I realize this yet. I won't wake up tomorrow to the call to prayer, I won't see Emily with her hair wet, freshly showered. I won't see Sarah kneeling on her bed to pray. I won't hear Denise's happy good morning voice or see her brush her teeth in the mirror with her hair all splayed across her head. Em won't talk to me in her silly voice, rousing me out of my pretty subdued morning mood. Life will be changed. We won't arrive back at the center in our nice charter bus to be greeted by our security guards. We won't clap for our bus driver and sing the Muhlestein song, we won't walk into the center exclaiming how good it feels to be home, and we won't be greeted by all of the staff children. My life at the Jerusalem center has officially ended, that door is closed. I will miss it. I know there will be days when all I want is to be at the center, partaking of the beauty that is Jerusalem. At least I know I can carry the lessons I have learned with me. I will always have the change that has been wrought in my heart.