Does anybody REALLY like to say "good-bye"?
I know that I don't. I also know that my best friend does not. We have had many discussions about this over the past dozen years of our friendship. We had the discussion this week - again - three different times. She was here for a visit that originated as fun trip to hang out together and ended up as an extended visit to be with her mom during open heart surgery. Discussion number one was the possibility of saying good bye to her mother, possibly forever. Thank God that good-bye did not have to be spoken as the surgery went very well and her mother is recovering beautifully.
The second discussion came when she knew she would not see her mother again...this trip anyway, and having to leave being close in proximity to her mother and travel back to her home in Virginia, half a country a way. We discussed the sorrow of living far away from ones we love, especially during times like these when physical closeness seems more important than ever.
The third conversation occurred as I drove her to the airport, watching the clock, discussing every moment we had spent and every moment we plan to spend together in the future. We both decided we really can't stand good-bye's.
Years ago, she and I made a pact to never say good-bye. I think we have kept our promise very well. We have left the presence of one another thousands of times over the years, some separations have been very short, and some very long, but we rarely say good-bye. We know our friendship will last our lifetime and beyond (since we both know that we will be together in heaven), so even if we never see one another on earth again, it is still not necessary to say good-bye. So, we say things like, "See you soon." "I love you." "I enjoyed my time with you.", etc.
So, as we move from spending two weeks enjoying one another's presence back into our lives separated by mountains, valleys, rivers, pastures and time zones, we acknowledge that we will not see one another today, but soon.
Good-bye. I really don't like to say that.
See you soon. I enjoyed my time with you. I love you.
Much better.
I know that I don't. I also know that my best friend does not. We have had many discussions about this over the past dozen years of our friendship. We had the discussion this week - again - three different times. She was here for a visit that originated as fun trip to hang out together and ended up as an extended visit to be with her mom during open heart surgery. Discussion number one was the possibility of saying good bye to her mother, possibly forever. Thank God that good-bye did not have to be spoken as the surgery went very well and her mother is recovering beautifully.
The second discussion came when she knew she would not see her mother again...this trip anyway, and having to leave being close in proximity to her mother and travel back to her home in Virginia, half a country a way. We discussed the sorrow of living far away from ones we love, especially during times like these when physical closeness seems more important than ever.
The third conversation occurred as I drove her to the airport, watching the clock, discussing every moment we had spent and every moment we plan to spend together in the future. We both decided we really can't stand good-bye's.
Years ago, she and I made a pact to never say good-bye. I think we have kept our promise very well. We have left the presence of one another thousands of times over the years, some separations have been very short, and some very long, but we rarely say good-bye. We know our friendship will last our lifetime and beyond (since we both know that we will be together in heaven), so even if we never see one another on earth again, it is still not necessary to say good-bye. So, we say things like, "See you soon." "I love you." "I enjoyed my time with you.", etc.
So, as we move from spending two weeks enjoying one another's presence back into our lives separated by mountains, valleys, rivers, pastures and time zones, we acknowledge that we will not see one another today, but soon.
Good-bye. I really don't like to say that.
See you soon. I enjoyed my time with you. I love you.
Much better.