Then comes Friday

Friday was the last day of school and, of course, the last day to drive the bus. I felt like a school kid again as we counted down the last few days of the year and now I have the Summer off. I haven't been able to say that I have the Summer off in 30 years. I have thoroughly enjoyed bus driving or at least I love the people with whom I get the privilege to drive and I love the students that ride with me. I received a thank you note from a High School Senior where he called me "the bus driver extarordinaire." I also received a homemade card from an elementary student named Madison that said "Thank you for driving us to school and back home safely everyday. Riding the bus was actually exciting this year. I will miss you and hope you have a great Summer." She hugged me and told me that she loved me. I will miss these children or at least most of them. But I will miss the other bus drivers most of all. We all met for lunch and it got rowdy and loud as usual. We laughed and shared one more afternoon together. I looked and saw people that were no longer co-workers but friends. Some have gone through difficult times this year. Many have pulled me aside and asked for prayer for a variety of concerns. Some, I have asked to pray for me. They have impacted my life and I will remember this year for a long time.