Goodbye's haven't hit me yet. It feels like I'm coming right back and I'll see everyone again soon. 8 months is not very soon though and there are a lot of people who may not be around when I get back. I hate saying good-bye, especially because I know that I am not very good at keeping in touch with those I love. Any yet I continue to promise to write, and call, and respond to FB messages. I will do my best to keep my promises.
My hardest goodbye yet was to my friend who just got out of ICU and is now in a long-term care facility. She is so weak, and seems to be getting worse. She has been such a huge part of my life for so long here in TN. My stomach knots up when I find myself asking the question: "Will she be here when I get back?" I pray that she is. Saying goodbye when you don't know if you will ever say hello again is so hard. At some point you just have to walk out and leave and let the distance between you grow. The door shuts, the hallway gets longer and each steps puts more distance between you and the people you care for. You can hear the silence. There is truly a whole in my heart.
