Some aspects of leaving a place are pretty darn enjoyable. Typical patterns seem to include people being obliged to compliment you when you leave somewhere and after you die. I like the former, because then you’re there to hear it. At Rawhide, complimentary goodbyes can take the form of fellowship time at a Youth Homes Meeting, a going-away dinner, or an open house farewell time. On my last day, I got to enjoy all three! Rawhide folks are great. Seeing people turn out for an open house was really wonderful. I joked with my guys that only two people would show up. Frankly, I was curious to see if anyone would come… and they did! I was also pretty pumped that three of my guys had written and then read poems to me as a part of my going-away dinner. They may often prefer to destroy things, but they sure have a sweet side, too. :) So, let’s be honest. My last day wasn’t filled with all sorts of hard work, per se, but I’ll treasure fond memories of
*Note: Just in case you're someone who is really confused by references to "my guys", I worked with teenage boys in a residential care center (Rawhide Boys Ranch). They function under a family style model, so staff live in a home with an average of 8 guys.
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