They Never Taught us How to say Goodbye

Caity and I were talking over lunch the other day about a conversation I had with Paula.

In all our years of schooling, they prepared us to take tests, write impressive resumes and get decent jobs. But nobody ever taught us how to write resignation letters.

Is it just that society doesn't believe that even good things come to an end?

I've done my share of "see you again"s, so I know what that's about, and I'm not talking about that. What about saying goodbye to things we've enjoyed even though it's not been the best for us? What about letting go of the old sentimental things to embrace something new that would be better?

It's like the baby blanket that's well-used, well-loved and well-worn but no longer keeps us warm. But it's kept the monster under the bed away, kept the lightning from coming too close, and it held all the tears from all the spankings, the boo-boos and the break-ups.

I've been thinking a lot about what my relationships with people will look like when I'm in Berlin, and reflecting on the things that have changed about my current relationships with people. People in Singapore, people who no longer live in Anderson, people in Anderson and people I wished were not gone. I let go of things faster than I should so they wouldn't have a chance to hurt me and then I regret not holding on more tightly while I had the chance to.

And this is the very reason I hate transitions. I frustrate myself with the way I deal with it.

Today marks the one month countdown towards Berlin. Another transition. As with each one of these, I always love the going but hate the leaving.

But the people. It's always about the people.

If you're the praying type, say a prayer that I'll learn to love the people with all that I am wherever I am whether it's at the beginning of a season or at the end.