Neighbors: So Hard To Say Goodbye

It hurts. They’ve been kind to me. They’ve lived here for years now, but they’re leaving. I overheard the daddy say to his little boy that he was putting something in the car to take to the new house. That was two nights ago. That’s how I knew. As I’m posting this in the morning in my timezone, it was last night, a few hours ago, I could hear them packing more things in the car. I walked over, not too close, but I had something to say. If I left it unsaid I don’t know what that would have made me, but do I need any more misery?

I’ve talked about regrets. Lord I have so many. But letting good people leave my life without saying what I wanted to would have been a big one.

Because I’ve often been outside having a smoke, and seen them in the distance going to their cars for work. And I remember when they brought the wee baby home. He’s already to the age of being eager to talk, and he’s as articulate as he can be. He is a breath of fresh air, and seeing him grow, watching him with his parents, simply melted me.

I told them I was a child of abuse. Didn’t go into detail but I did say my kids were gone, and how I wish every day that they were here. And I said, “When I see extraordinary parents like you, I’m full of admiration and I only wish I could have had parents like you. The things I might have done…”

You can’t let people you admire, even if you aren’t close, leave your life without telling them what they’ve meant to you.

If you do that, you’ll regret it. And who knows: perhaps you’ll have said something that they will never forget, something they take to heart, a bit of another person’s love they can keep forever.

Remember not to be the kind of person I’ve described myself as on these pages. It is noble to love and freely express it. There is nothing wrong with showing emotion, especially when it is positive. I just kept it simple but made sure my words would not easily be forgotten any time soon.

And I wanted it this way. It hurts to know they’re leaving. They’re special. I just had to tell them.

I hope that you too, wherever you may be, will tell someone how much you admire them, to tell them that their efforts have been seen and appreciated, to remind them that they are blessed and loved. The opportunity will present itself. When it does, please don’t let it go.

I’m done burning bridges. I prefer a heartfelt goodbye and words from the heart. Life is so short. When I find anything positive in me, I feel better.

I hear babies crying,

I watch them grow,

They’ll learn much more,

Than I’ll ever know…

Goodbye, my friends.

You made a difference, and I can’t thank you enough.