What is it about transitions and goodbyes that make our stomachs churn? Sometimes we know it's time to go, but yet we want to stay to make the pain go away. There is so much to look forward to, a bright future is what we dream for ourselves, our children, our businesses and friends. But sometimes you have to leave people behind.
We were one of the families that moved during Covid. That expedition was tough and emotionally charged. We were moving forward, looking ahead to our new neighborhood, our new home and a new community. But the difficultly of saying goodbye to our existing community, the neighborhood that helped raise our children, the park that holds so many memories....makes me teary eye thinking about it. The house that saw our family grow from four to six people, the home that we lost our dog in, ouch.....even writing about it makes me emotional.
Today, I said goodbye to my short-term neighbours who are returning home to Israel. They were here for a short two year sabbatical but while their stay was short their impact on my life will be long. I was so emotionally charged when we moved into our new home, and our very first day my neighbour was outside colouring with chalk on the sidewalk with her two younger kids. She was smiling and had an aura of calm and peace, beauty and wisdom. I gravitated towards her energy because....well I needed a new friend....I needed to ground myself in my new environment and her energy was infectious. She was always smiling, always happy. I marveled at her constant state of joy and gratitude. She showed so much care and attention to her children, never scolding them for tantrums and infighting. Always modeling strong parenting and care and safety. I needed to see that, I learned to follow her example.
We shared recipes and swapped stories about our childhood over coffee. A sister from another mister is what I consider her. She and her husband knew how to explore our country without the frills of comfort lodging but the excitement and awe of seeing the creator's world. She inspired me to let go of my inner control freak and think about the possibility of creating similar memories for my family. She opened her door to me when I needed to see another human being and welcomed by children open arms.
She invited me along to meet her new friends in the neighbourhood, and brought me cookies and dinners when we returned from weekend getaways. She told me she missed me when I wasn't around, and always complimented my outfits and my character. She's a simple woman who hold's virtuous qualities, a character of pure gold and I'm forever grateful I met her. Sometimes people walk into your life for a short period of time to teach you something, to help you uncover something in yourself, and maybe to clear the dirt so you can begin to shine. I'll miss my neighbour, but I've gained a friend. I'll miss the connection, but I've gained so much wisdom. It hurts to say goodbye, it's the duality of investing in yourself and another person. The pain is a requirement to a worthwhile connection. I know it's not really goodbye, it's see you soon my friend.
Thank you for coming into my life!
