A Valediction
From the beauty-land, Ohio, comes a universal praise,
'Tis the song of 'Alma Mater' that her sons and daughters raise;
'Tis a 'Hail to Kent' forever, on the Cuyahoga shore;
Now we join the loving thousands as they sing it o'er and o'er.
Hail to Thee, our Alma Mater.
O, how beautiful Thou art,
High-enthroned upon the hilltop,
Reigning over every heart.
One week from now I will be living in Ohio, about to start a new job in a new state, studying a new graduate program in a new discipline at a new alma mater. My nearly twenty-five years in Chicago and its suburbs over, friends and family alike left behind, I will earn the tools and learn the theories that will allow me to advance in the career I've longed for since I learned of its existence.
Farewell to friends, family, history, towns, co-workers. So long, actions I'd rather forget, and long life to those people I never will.
People have been asking me if I plan to return to Chicago after the two-year program ends. On this subject, I pray you be mum. Science can predict the next solar eclipse or mass-cicada outbreak with far more accuracy than I can muster to divine whether this black hole of employment will have ended by then, in what field I will choose to work, if I will need to coordinate a job search with a lovely lady, or where openings will be one year from now. I hope to never be further than nine hours' drive away from Chicago, but cannot hope to predict my mind two years from now. (i.e. Eight years ago I hoped to be a physics teacher. Six years ago I wanted to be an author and professional actor. Four years ago I wanted to expatriate to a foreign country. Now I just hope to not mess up this graduate program.)
So farewell, my Sweet Home Chicago. I hope to see you soon, but I cannot guarantee whether I will be returning in two years a returning citizen or a mere tourist.