Saying Goodbye

I’ve said goodbye a lot in my life.

We moved around quite a bit when I was growing up… changing schools, changing houses and towns.

Saying goodbye to friends, to jobs, to churches…

I don’t regret any of that because it made me who I am.

I’m less attached to the things of life and more concerned about people.

I don’t need to hang on to stuff because it holds less value than the people around me.

I’m comfortable in new places, happy to meet new people, excited about change…

But, being “good” at change doesn’t make saying goodbye any easier.

Goodbyes are hard.

Saying goodbye is frustratingly difficult.

I absolutely know that as much as I think things will stay the same and friendships will never change… things will change and friendships will morph into something different.

Tonight I sat across from a friend, watching her talk, sensing the ease at which we spoke, knowing that I’m leaving and going across the world.

I haven’t had to say goodbye yet because we will be around for a few more months while we continue to raise support, but I know goodbyes are coming.

Goodbyes to friends, to family, to places, to the familiar things around us.

Goodbyes that are spurred on by a calling to help people in a faraway land an ocean away.

To bring water. To bring schools. To bring help. To bring food. To bring love.

To help kids learn and grow and live healthy, happy lives.

To reach out, beyond ourselves and give everything we have to live life with them.

Saying goodbye here to say hello there to these faces.

 

My heart aches over the goodbyes to come.

My heart aches to get where we are going.

A place of trust and knowing that as hard as both the goodbyes and the hellos will be… we are in His plan.