Thank you, Mick, and I really appreciate the reminder and permission to grieve. Yes, I will, and I am. This piece is part-lament but not full-throated, and I didn't intend it to be. I will have my position for at least another year, per the university system rules, so for the time being I have adopted a more resigned, "professional" approach to it all. And I need reminders from friends like you that it's okay, even good, to grieve.

I agree with you entirely about the community of this kind of experience. That's also partly why I wrote it. I thought it would resonate with others outside of academia, too.

I hope you're right about the threads appearing and coalescing at the right time! Fingers crossed, brother, fingers crossed.

I hope all's well with you. Thank you as always for reading and responding, my friend.