After hearing story after story, I understood where the Stage 2 and appreciated them more than Stage 1. At the end of every Stage, everyone gets together in a large circle and debriefs the Stage. Usually, a Core member will start out by picking a Stage rider and say how wonderful they are and what great qualities they brought to the team. With 35 riders and 15 Support Staff, this debrief can last hours. There are usually people crying and many hugs given in the process.
Closure is final or at least it seems that way.
It is so difficult to say goodbye to someone that you may never see again. For the end of Stage 1, I did not do well with saying goodbye to the Stage One riders and surely did not welcome the new riders in with open arms. Stage 1 started this journey with us, and it feels like we have completely forgotten about them and all the work that we went through. They worked out all the kinks and problems we had with safety pod systems and group norms. Two and Three riders did not know there a problem with how pods ride, safety or who has to go to the Potluck dinners.