This week was a week of goodbyes. To Lifeworks Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Eagan, Hastings, Burnsville and Mankato, I want to say thank you.

I have worked as a music therapist at Lifeworks for 2 years. In these two years, I have enjoyed seeing staff smiling at work, and laughing with clients. I had not experienced such joy in a work environment before. What would we do without humor?

I have learned about the wonder (and simplicity) of assistive technology and its ability to help us communicate with one another. I have learned about communication in all its many forms - be it the raising of an eyebrow, the movement of a hand, eye gaze, pointing at a picture, speech, sign language, vocalization. There are many ways people share with us, if only we take the time to listen.

I have lugged large amps, supported musicians with disabilities (including Lifeworks Joyful Singers!), brainstormed behavioral support for clients, developed music group curriculum and trained staff, taught social skills through song, made music in many forms (always with a goal of learning a skill or meeting a sensory need), and ate way too many Jimmy John's sandwiches.

I have written a lot of songs with clients, which is always an interesting/surprising process. Read the wisdom of clients at Lifeworks Bloomington:

Change happens around the world,
Change happens all the time,
Change sometimes happens to me,
Yeah, yeah, yeah mon!

Later in the song they sing "change is also good, it makes you grow it makes you real." This week I have felt very raw and real, just like the clients wrote.

Over the past 2 weeks I have said goodbye to around 150 clients, and even more staff. Goodbyes are hard, there is no way around but through.

Tonight, I celebrate people's gifts and abilities. Thank you for sharing them, thank you for teaching me. I am lucky to know each of you!