BETWEEN THE LINES: A SEASON OF GOODBYES FOLLOWED BY HELLOS

It's the time of year for goodbyes aplenty.

Students are saying goodbye to classmates and teachers as they shuffle down the hallways of their schools one last time before graduation.

Teachers and principals are saying their last goodbyes to co-workers as Cape Girardeau closes the doors on two schools and opens a new one.

And parents are preparing to say goodbye to their children who head off to college in the fall.

But with each of these goodbyes, a hello is just around the corner.

I once baby-sat for a child who thought that every time he entered a room he should greet you with a "Hi, how are you?" It didn't matter to Daniel whether you'd been in the same room the entire time. If he left and came back into a room, he'd always greet you.

For Daniel, saying hello was a new adventure.

As often as we say goodbye to one chapter of our lives, we open the door to new adventures.

I remember thinking I'd never see my classmates from high school again. But that's not been the case ... I still keep in touch with many of them and even attended a few of their weddings.

The best part of college wasn't the independence or freedoms I gained, but the chance to make new friends.

Just as I'd said goodbye to high school classmates, I said hello to dozens more new friends. Although I probably now see my college friends less than I should, I still know what's happening in their lives.

Saying hello to new friends doesn't mean you always have to lose the friends you'd gained up to that point in life. It's good to have a few friends you have managed to hang on to as you move from one new adventure to the next.

And lately my life has been an adventure, with a litter of kittens hanging around the house. They particularly like to hang from the leaves of my tallest plants while batting at the mini blind cord on the windowsill.

Despite all the havoc they wreak, it's been fun to have them around. But it's about time to say goodbye.

The kittens are 2 months old now, and they've gained some independence and are deathly curious about their surroundings.

They like to greet you upon your entrance by clawing at your feet or swatting at shoestrings.

Yes, even my cats know when to say hello and goodbye. One male cat always lets me know when he's arrived inside from an outdoor excursion. He likes to know you're paying attention when he talks.

The mama cat I took in months ago talks up a storm, and not just to her kittens.

In the past few days she's been searching the house for her only son in the litter. Now that the kittens are old enough to wean, they're ready for new homes and new places to roam and climb. I've explained all this to her, but it's not sinking in fast enough.

She's combed the house and backyard looking for her lost son. I think it's because she didn't really get a chance to say a proper goodbye.

~Laura Johnston is a copy editor for the Southeast Missourian.