Saying Goodbye With Meaning

Linking up with Blessed is She this morning for my thoughts on goodbyes.

I feel like our family has been in a bit of a season of goodbyes for a while now. Some are good, like saying goodbye to the diapers for John, and some not so good, like losing close friendships.

For all of them I believe the best goodbyes are the ones done with meaning. I hate the fizzle out way of saying goodbye because it skips the actual goodbye. It's the way to make something difficult go away, and ignores the wounds that need healing.

Goodbyes are work! Healing is work. There is not really a quick, easy, or numb way of doing it.

The beautiful thing about goodbyes is the hello you get to say afterwards. I can say hello to more independance from my preschooler, hello to new healthy friendships, and hello to healing.

As we approach the end of this month, I am very aware of how soon my little baby will be turning one year old. I'm aware that the goodbye to her sweet babyhood is nigh and a hello to toddlerhood is on the horizon. Like many of our transitions, this one is bittersweet.

Standing?! What happened to my little squishy?!

Every good mother wants her baby to grow into the the full person they were created to be, but there is a tug at the heartstrings when I remember how fleeting some of these times really are.

Like her unique way of babbling that sure to only last a few weeks. John yelling in the background about robots is probably going to be more of a lifelong thing.

I'm trying to embrace what is wonderful about things now, even though I know I will have to let go soon. I try to move through the goodbye even though it would be less painful in the moment to pretend nothing has changed. Embrace the goodbye!