Goodbyes...

The best goodbyes are the ones that don’t ever actually happen. The stuff that doesn't necessarily come to an ending so much as is slowly disintegrates into less and less over the months and years. Consider a person you used to be close friends with, but no longer speak to regularly. Someone you never had a falling out with, but you simply grew apart from. These situations can be a downer, especially when you realize the former friendship is covered in so many web of spiders it’s no longer recognizable. As big of a bummer as that striking may be, it doesn't have the sudden shock effect of an actual goodbye. No hugs, no kisses, no handshakes, no airports, no packed bags or tears – just time.

Goodbyes are never going to be something we can adapt to. They’re all different and each one is followed by a different person, place or thing being absent in our lives. There are the necessary goodbyes that we feel a sense of relief after, but even then, to know that something we once felt strongly about or comfortable with is going to cease to exist can be scary. Maybe we should eliminate “goodbye” from our vocabulary. Cia, farewell, later, ta-ta, take your pick — any of those feel a lot less concrete and final, even if goodbye is the sad reality.