“Saying goodbye is not easy.” resonated in my head this week. Monday (1/9) was my last day after nine weeks at the Suffolk County House of Correction for the Art and Spirituality Program. When leading the opening group check-in, I asked participants: “If you were a clock, what time would you be now?” Some people said they were in the morning; some people said they were in the afternoon. What spoke to me was that some people said they were at 12 o’clock midnight, which means it is an end but also a start of something new. I related to their words deeply. Indeed, without goodbyes, we would not be able to have a new beginning. The ending of something can also be a new start for people who are looking for a change.

After the end of the group, I reflected on my growth in last year’s Art and Spirituality Program. I have grown my knowledge base in art therapy. I have gotten to know myself better and elevated my leadership, listening, and teamwork skills with people who volunteer here. I made a sketch of a Pothos plant to represent all the encounters and growth there. Pothos is resilient and can adapt to a variety of environments. Its leaf is shaped like a heart, which constantly reminds me to keep a big heart and to accept forthcoming challenges. Furthermore, it denotes “good luck,” so I wish that in the new year Pothos will become a symbol for everyone I had the opportunity to encounter at the facility.

– Wanyi Huang