Saying Goodbye

Saying Goodbye comes in many different forms. Some are happy, some are sad, and some, well.............are both really. But one thing is certain, they are never easy.

Tonight I listened to my sister say Goodbye to her dearest friend. In these last few hours I have found myself saying Goodbye to my dearest friend all over again. It doesn't get easier. Time may heal hurt, but it does not erase memory. I listened to my sister cry. I listened to her hurt. And I found myself wishing I could make it all go away for her. And yet I can't.

Death is not always a bad goodbye. It's just hard. I sat, after our brief phone conversation, thinking of that day years ago (well not so long ago, I guess) of when my best friend was killed. I didn't even get to see her. It was a closed coffin funeral. And yet, as I have talked with my sister these last few weeks, I do not know which is easier---seeing it all or never seeing. I guess the thought that hit me, is that it really is true. God knows what each of us can handle. My sister is strong. She has sat by her friend's side for weeks, holding her hand, talking with her, watching her to the end. And I wonder if I could have done that.

It doesn't matter. God bring into each of our lives exactly what we need to make us stronger people, and by that I mean individuals who become more dependent upon Him in our weakness.

Saying Goodbye is not always bad.......it just isn't easy. It is always with us, popping up to remind us now and then that our time here is brief. Make the most of it.