The human experience is one that I don’t think I will ever understand. I do, however, recognize so many parts of it as overwhelmingly beautiful. One of the most dichotomous aspects of it is the idea of saying goodbye. Parting is not, in my opinion, “such sweet sorrow,” as Shakespeare so put in Romeo and Juliet.
Parting builds anticipation of the next sweet moment of reunion, but it does not breed hope. When you part with someone, there is no promise that you will ever see them again. And, if you do, there is no assurance that they will continue to play the same role in your life as they had done previously. In some cases, this is a lovely thing. A friend becomes closer (separation makes the heart grow fonder?) or you recognize the importance of a family member.
More often than not, though, dear friends fade out. I no longer think I fully agree with a former blog post of mine, however. I said that this loss was akin to sand being washed away, no trace. But there is a trace. There is always a trace. No matter how short or how long or if it is gone forever or if it will come back, people leave traces, they leave marks.
The simple knowledge that a person such as them exists is enough. One conversation may start a mindful revolution. One person can change everything about another’s life. And there is no limit as to how much you can grow and change and discover. That is the beauty. That is the only sweetness I see in goodbyes.
When you formally bid someone goodbye, you sit back, reflect, and collect in your thoughts all the reasons that you love them, all the good things that you’ve learned. We often take the presence of others for granted, but we never take for granted a goodbye.
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