What Do You Mean Goodbye?

We all hate saying goodbye. The word has such finality to it. Whenever I hear the word I think of endings. At times it is almost gut wrenching to end something and utter that nasty word.

It is possible to see goodbyes everywhere we look.

Relationships are a lot of work and there are times they simply do not work. You have poured your heart and soul into it, yet it remains unsatisfying. You realize it will not be what you need nor want, so you say adieu.

Childhood leaves when we graduate high school. Some of us move on and leave for college. Others take a chance and strike out on their own. Leaving family and the security of that life is not easy. You pack up your things, gather courage, hug everyone and say adios.

Our careers are important to us. For many they define what we worked so long to achieve. For others it is a means to provide the necessities in life. There comes a time when moving on and working somewhere else is required. The idea of meeting new people and learning fresh duties is scary. To the old one you auf wiedersehen.

You meet the love of your life. Marriage is in your future. The carefree days of being single dwindle down. On the morning of your fateful day you look back on those times in wistfulness, sigh and say bye-bye.

Let us not forget having children. Those pesky little bundles put a major crimp in a lifestyle. No longer can you just pick up and go, stay out and up all night and sleep until noon. With resignation you forge on and to those selfish times you say farewell.

Saying goodbye does not have to be an end. It can be a beginning as well.

Leaving a relationship gives the opportunity of going out and finding the other that makes you complete and fills the holes in your heart you did not even know were there. To those times we say bonjour!

Heading to school or setting out on your own does not have to be an end. It shows you are opening yourself to a wider universe, exploring what life has to offer. Be bold enough to say "Come on world, let's see what you have to offer." Hola and welcome to the rest of my life!

Jobs and careers will come and go. Few of us remain in one place doing one thing our entire lives. Instead of fearing the unknown, embrace the opportunities to grow and learn along the way. Open your arms and say guten tag!

Marriage can begin the saga of life as a couple, learning how to share and compromise, finding out how that perfect person can make life so much sweeter. It need not be the end of life as you once knew it but the start of something bigger and much, much better. At those times you need to laugh at the world and say nice to meet you!

Children can give you joys you never knew existed. You find your heart fills so full of love you think you will burst from it. The sleepless nights, the times of worry they all fade away when you watch them grow, see them succeed and hear them laugh. These are the times you say come on in!

There is a saying that today is the first day of the rest of your life. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is not yet here. When one door closes, another door opens. The Italians and Hawaiians seem to know that very well. Ciao and aloha : both mean goodbye and hello.

Every day we say goodbye to something, but we also say hello.

I like that idea.

What have you said aloha to today?