Day 92
8/14/22
Saying good-bye can run the gambit from sorrow to relief.
Hats you wear during your life can be replaced, removed or changed in some way. For example, when I took my professor hat off, I replaced that "hat" with one of a Therapy Dog team member. Removing my rollerblading "helmet" from my life was a choice (made by my children), but it was in the best interest of saving my bones! When I retired from teaching elementary school, I took off my educator hat and changed it with my "Hey Nanny" hat where I continue to teach, but also learn soooo much.
Walking with my goldens today, I noticed that the robins were gone and I didn't even get to say farewell. I know in a couple weeks, a new batch with fly through from the north, but they only stay a day or two before following their plumper relatives. Perhaps I can say good-bye to that flock and ask them to relay my message.
I have said many a tearful good-bye to friends, family and pups in my life. Sometimes, I know I will see them again, but other times I know I won't feel their touch once more. These sorrowful farewells are the hardest, but build the most strength and grow the heart in ways I cannot define.
Today, my son Jimmy left for California after a visit to his Anoka home. I know I will see him again soon, but it still brings the tears. Lilly, and the golden boys, can feel his absence deeply. After a day or two, life goes back to normal, but for now, they listen for his footsteps on the stairs...especially Lilly.
These good-byes can be so hard, but I tell myself there is a reason for them. When you replace something, it can be a mixed blessing. Removing something from your life is a choice which usually leads to a positive future where something usually fills the void.
Now, I have never felt like I actually lost a hat. Saying good-bye in a tearful manner simply means that your loved one is gone from your sight...not your heart. Each hat remains...sometimes turned backwards, other times pulled down over your eyes, or some actually take on a new color and dimension. All of these hats make me who I am and I feel so blessed to have been gifted my vast collection.
