Someone said people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Saying good bye is very difficult after a meaningful relationship has been had, a connection has been made, or a lesson has been learned as a result of knowing a special person.
But I’m getting used to it.
When I was younger I had yet to be conscious of the ‘lasts’, that the last time I spoke to a certain friend would be my last. I had yet to understand what impact a person has made on my life before I had the time to appreciate them. I am thankful that I’ve learned to consciously witness these relationships before they are over.
Decades ago, without modern technology, goodbye meant good bye. People could be lost and eventually forgotten. With social media there is no need for closure even if the connection fades to a mere thumbnail of a face on a friends list.
Despite that, the last time I had to wish a co-worker goodbye I wanted to share something special with her. We can buy all the gifts we want to say farewell but a human connection rewarded with human connection is the best gift of all. So I spoke up, using my words to share a gift and to wrap up the moment in a package that I would cherish as well.
When faced with good bye, whether it be final, uncertain, or temporary, try sharing one or all of these gifts:
Tell them what they taught you.
Tell them what you learned and how you are different as a result.
Tell them what is your favourite memory of your time together.
Tell them what will remind you of them.
And then say thank you.
We all would like to hear that we made a difference and that we will be remembered. And we all would like to walk away from separations with the feelings of peace and closure knowing that a connection remains.
And perhaps, if we start to do this when we say goodbye, next time someone special comes into our lives and makes a difference in our day, we won’t wait until they are leaving to tell them.
💕
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