So Hard to Say Good-bye

I realized today, that saying good-bye to people never gets easier.

My friend Rachael closed the chapter on her life here in Hawaii and returned to the mainland today. She said it best when she said, "I don't say good-bye, I say see you later."

That makes saying good-bye so much easier if you have in the back of your mind the ones you will get to see again. Why doesn't it make it easier when the person in your life is going to pass away. You know you will get to see them again.

My grandmother isn't closing a chapter, she's finishing her novel (the beautiful woman in the picture is my grandma, she's holding my dad). I spoke with her on the phone a little while ago, thinking it was my good-bye. She's still here and I am afraid to call her. I don't want to have to say good-bye again. I know that I should call her every single day and tell her I love her. I should remind her of all of the things I admire about her. But I can't get up the courage to do that. I will tomorrow.

I know that I will eventually see her again, but it will be in a completely different light. I will see everyone again and we will all eat nachos and shave ice and chocolate haupia pie and canollis and Bertucci's pizza. I hope.

In my life, I have had to say good-bye to a lot of people, knowing that the likelihood we would have of seeing each other again would be slim. But never so many as I have had to say good-bye to in the last year.

Living in so many different locations in one year is incredible. I have met the finest people that have made huge impressions on mine and my families lives. Some I know I will see again, others, I only hope we can cross paths or afford to fly out and visit again.

I admit, sometimes I avoid saying good-bye. Isn't that lame! I can't say those words. Why does it bring tears to my eyes? Why does it makes my insides get all tense?

So this post is for you whom I may have not said good-bye to....I say "See you later!". For those that I have said Good-bye to, I meant, "See you later." For those who I have said "See you later." I ask...come visit me here in Hawaii, there's plenty of room!