Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end

Sunset on St Andrew's Day (yesterday), as seen from my office

I think I've used that line as a title for a post before, but I don't care. It's a great song.

Some beginnings are coming to an end this week. Yesterday was my last full day in DC until the spring semester begins. I devoted most of it to grading and teaching prep. Whoever decided that for my last full week of classes I would schedule two articles I'd never taught before clearly did not have my best interests at heart. The evening was given over to Solemn Evensong and Benediction at St Paul's, K Street, a splendid celebration of the 50th ordination anniversary of the Revd Canon Dr Tony Lewis, Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary, whom I've know since my own K Street days. (He was also the preacher at the consecration of my new bishop back in September.) It was a nice smoky service requiring three masters of ceremonies, a dozen acolytes, and enough bishops to start a sizeable schism. The Presiding Bishop preached, and y'all, he was on.

(Radcliffe Responses and Sowerby in D, for those who are focused on essentials.)

Of course I had to go to the reception afterward, because there were tons of people I hadn't seen in years and had to catch up with, not to mention a few people I needed to meet for the first time. And of course I stayed later than I should have, arriving back in Dupont Circle tired and a bit hungry. (I managed exactly one deviled egg the whole time, which was delicious but not quite sustaining.) No matter: it was a great last evening.

This morning was my last in-person session with my trainer until classes resume. I'll keep going virtually over break, but one thing he can't do for me over Skype is break out the calipers. Speaking of which, I hit a goal today:

And the last of the lasts: today was my last in-person class in Intro to Philosophy. As usual, my students had done the reading and were prepared to talk about it. Granted, the discussion was somewhat limited by the fact that not one of us could take the author's central claim at all seriously, but we gave it our best shot, and we had a lot of fun together. I ended the class by telling them how much I had enjoyed the class. It was the most fun I had had teaching in many, many years. I thanked them for bearing with me as a made a big adjustment, not always successfully, but always with tremendous joy.

Later in the afternoon I got this email:

I was really disappointed to miss today's class. I know your syllabus says that I am not required to inform you when I miss class due to sickness, but with today's class being our last time meeting in person I wanted to thank you.  

At the beginning of the year I was not looking forward to taking a philosophy class. Your class quickly turned into my favorite class this semester. The amount of work you put into this class was apparent--the passion you have for this subject even more so. I was planning on thanking you in person, but I was unable to today. Thank you for introducing me to a new passion in philosophy.

That's why we do it, really.