Blog Guelph: Saying Goodbye

Not the moon, a photo by felixtrio on Flickr.

Don't take me to the tower
It was I who was
The hourglass
And the sands of time like
Shattering glass went past me
Like a tunnel to the sea

And I who went to sleep as two
Woke up as one now only you remain
You'll close your eyes and travel back
To the time when the light went fading fast
And the words you'll never, never forget, oh no
As you slipped away

And I who went to sleep in tears
Woke up in tears, for all of the years
And I who never, never said goodbye
As I slipped away

Goodbye baby
I hope your heart's not broken
Don't forget me
Yes I was outspoken
You were with me all the time
I'll be with you one day

~ Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac

Saying goodbye has to be the hardest thing to do. And do we ever really say goodbye?

There have been a few goodbyes lately touching on my world.  And I’ve struggled with thinking about the idea of having to let go - to say goodbye. It’s never been my character to forget those or those things that I’ve cared about, or to give up on important beliefs or people, or to walk away from what and who I’ve invested in.

Someone I know lost their dog, their best friend recently. There is nothing I can say to make that goodbye easier.

And Guelph. Guelph has lost a very big part of its history this week. There is nothing more I feel I can do to make that goodbye easier either.

But I’m a hopeful person. When we lose loved ones, I believe they stay with us. Or when we have to walk away from situations, I believe we leave some of ourselves behind.

I have to believe this. To keep going. To stay strong.

So, yes, sometimes we have to say goodbye.

But never let that goodbye be an end.

Make it a new beginning.

~ Aidan M.D. Ware