Farewells Truly Are Bittersweet

Saying goodbye to people we care about is rarely easy. When they are leaving, say moving, it is tough to avoid nursing our own sadness over the loss of their regular presence in our life. Even if your interactions with a friend have been intermittent at best, their importance in your life doesn't typically wane. So when they relocate thousands of miles away, well, it takes a bit of adjusting, to say the least.

Someone I consider a good friend is moving west with her husband, a former co-worker of mine. Actually, it is because he and I worked together, side-by-side for three years that I became friends with his wife. In the interest of keeping work life separate from social life, she and I did not become friends until after I had left that job. Of course, there was an instantaneous connection. I adore her — I can't imagine who wouldn't.

Over the years, we haven't seen one another often, but when we do have the time to connect, I'm always left more buoyantly happy for the encounter. This woman is passionate about motherhood and I love that she manages to still fall in love with her husband over and over again. So few people know how to navigate a successful marriage, but these two have done it well. Hardships and difficult times have only strengthened their bond and this is something I cannot help but admire.

I don't often miss the job I left all those years ago, but I do miss the fun, off-the-wall conversations I had with my co-worker. There was rarely a dull moment in that newsroom and it was because of the never-ending cache of obscure, geeky, scifi, and satirical topics this man shared on a regular basis. Not to mention his love of football — though our choice in teams certainly clashed. A Broncos-Patriots matchup will always make me think of him. We are both naturally 'loud' people and I like to think that all the shushing that was directed at our corner of the room was more about jealousy that we knew how to make deadlines while still having fun. I mean, does anyone envision a newsroom as being quiet?

In a few short weeks, they will be gone. This amazingly fun couple, who I wish I had spent more time with, particularly since I moved almost an hour away three years ago. While I cannot change this, I am forever grateful that I was able to create the memories I do have. At the very least, staying in touch will be possible, thanks to social media. I will be following these two with special interest for years to come.

In life, when it comes to the people I have met and befriended, I almost always strike gold. No matter how long someone is part of my life, there is almost always a lesson or benefit derived from the relationship. I've come to realize that whatever the depth or involvement of a particular bond, every person deserves their worth to be appreciated, as well as recognized. Scott and Hadley, life has been that much fuller because you've been a part of it. Thank you for your friendship and may your new adventure in the Rockies bestow the kind of blessings you so richly deserve.