Goodbyes Begin
Goodbyes are never easy. In fact, I hate them. What's hardest is when I know there will be a considerable amount of time before I will see someone again because in those goodbyes are the hugs that linger long enough to choke back the tears so the one I embrace doesn't see. But inevitably when I pull away, I can't hold the tears any longer and the charade of me trying to be strong in the departure is exposed. Yes, I sincerely hate goodbyes.
As my journey here in Southern Utah/Northern Arizona comes to a close, however, the goodbye train is rolling through town at top speed. Phone calls and e-mails from well wishers who want to get together for one last foray to the Rewind Diner or for one last pitcher of cheap beer on tap at the Buckskin. What's worse than dealing with all these requests is that some people actually really want to get together to do those things!
My first real goodbye gathering was this past Friday night with a group of women I have just recently begun to grow with and feel this goodbye has come far too soon. But in our brief time together we called each other sisters and now the youngest one is moving on to a new chapter. They prepared vegan goodies for me to eat, champagne for us to toast, and each brought a small gift for me to take along on my travels ahead.
Each gift a reminder of who gave it to me or of how they saw me. I was given angels, a goddess, words from the heart and a vegan patch that made me grin ear to ear. These people truly know me and have embraced the things that are important to me. I cherish that.
And here are the words that I read aloud; the words that echo exactly what I was talking about in my last post about stepping back. Okay Universe, I hear you, loud and clear!
And just when it ends, it begins.