Goodbyes…
We don’t look forward to them, they aren’t fun, they don’t give warm fuzzy feelings, they can make you cry, they bring an end to something.
We have all had to say goodbye: for one-week travel assignments, till the next family reunion, because of moving out-of-state, moving to another neighborhood or town, leaving one organization to be a part of another, saying goodbye to loved ones who have given in to death.
Goodbyes are not easy, but sometimes necessary. Healing comes, we begin new relationships, the family grows and the cycle begins again. We just have to remember to welcome those new relationships and though we may be hurting from the goodbyes, newness brings healing and freshness to our lives.
The past couple of months I have experienced many hurts and disappointments, have had to say some goodbyes and begin attending a different church. I have felt like I need to distance myself from the people at the new church to protect myself, however they are so kind and welcoming to our family and us as individuals that I am finding it easier and easier to begin working on new relationships.
We are not discontuing relationships with most of the friends from the church we left and this, I’m sure is part of why the healing is moving toward completeness rather quickly. We don’t have to start completely over, just make a few changes. I welcome the changes now and look forward to the friendships that will come.
So, though they are hard and we don’t look forward to them, think of goodbyes as possible beginnings as well.
