Saying goodbye...see you later

Saying goodbye is never easy to do though it seems that I would be used to it by now. I grew up in the military community over seas and had the opportunity to practice making new friends and saying goodbye to best friends more times that I wanted to. I know that when each door that closes, another door opens, but it doesn't take the sting out of the moment when you realize it is the last. The last time you will see a dear friend again (for a long time), the last time you will hear the sound of voices bouncing off these yellow walls, the last time your child will take a class with a favorite teacher, the last time you will see some of your students, the last time you will clean the little fingerprints off the mirrors, or the last time you will see the sunburst of yellow on the floors you and your daughter painted with your hands and feet together one perfect morning.

Even though these things seem ordinary, some how the last time feels important. You take notice of each nuance to store in your memory, hoping it will stick forever, but you know that the details will fade and new story's will take the place of old, and life will move on and new adventures will take hold. But I do believe that each one of those people or places we must say goodbye to is a piece of what makes us who we are. I know I can not hold or make time stop, nor do I want to, but for right now, I do want to stop and look back on these past few years and truly treasure these memories while they are fresh and clear.

I am at the same time looking forward to the next years and also breathing in this very precious moment. The present moment. Right now, right here. I am closeing a chapter of my life, and ready to start the next. I am so grateful for all the people who have made this life, this journey, so special. They will always have a home in my heart.

So, after looking back on my life and visiting these found memories, I just have to ask myself, what's next? I am pretty sure I have some more learning to do and many more adventures and wonderful people to explore with. So, instead of saying "goodbye", shall we say "see you later," because you just never know where the road might lead.