Have you experienced your own version of Exodus? Most of us have in some small way or other. Whether we leave an abusive relationship or a miserable school, we all experience the profound relief of putting an unpleasant situation behind us.

In my Deliverance From Jericho (Six Years in a Blind School) memoir, I recounted the last time I left that uncaring institution to begin my life as a free student in public school. Had I known I would never return there, I would have been much happier. As it was, I felt glad just to be heading home for summer holidays. Here's how my exodus from Jericho went.

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After all the tedious school activities were over, it was time to pack our belongings. Along with my suitcases, I decided I would bring a shopping bag filled with whatever would not fit in my luggage. When we arrived at the airport, some of my possessions fell out of the bag at the precise moment when everybody was leaving the bus.

As I felt around under the seats, Mr. Thynne said, "You're holding us up. Why did you have to bring so much stuff anyway?" I managed to escape the bus with my luggage intact. Behind me I could hear the rest of the boys murmuring about how my accident made them late.

Apart from that mishap, my home coming was uneventful. The hard times were behind me for the moment and I knew I could relax for two glorious months.

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Deliverance from Jericho contains many more vignettes of what life was like in that government-run institution. These range from poignant experiences of homesickness to hilarious incidents of mischief. Click here to read more about this book and to order it. You may also e-mail me directly if the comment form doesn't work.