Blubbering Tears

Last night I had my final SAA meeting.

We are the tour guide kids to everyone else on campus. But to me, this has been my family.

It's tradition at this final meeting for the new recruits to come in and the for the seniors to say their farewells. How do you tell such an amazing and inspiring group of individuals how much they have meant to you?

Well if you are me, you blubber incessantly in front of all 75 of the members, choke on your words, and wind up forming half sentences. Cripes, why am I just a bawl-baby.

What I had hoped to tell the group, is that I joined at a really hard time in my life during my sophomore year. Everything around me seemed to be caving in and I felt lost, confused and inadequate.

But a dear friend gave me an application and promised it would be the best decision I made in college. I got through the interview process and went to the first meeting nervous as all get out.

And suddenly I was surrounded by these people who pushed me, supported me, challenged me, inspired me...

And hugged me.

And I had an amazingly wonderful time.

And I haven't stopped smiling since.

To the members I got to know very well and others I admired from afar, thank you for breathing a little bit of life in me. And thank you for the honor of serving this university by your side.

And thanks for the hugs.

...and now I'm crying again.