Those Two Words

I’ve been thinking a lot about goodbyes lately.  How some require just the right timing or just the right words.  Others, you dread for days and days not knowing if it could be forever.  But distance, it’s a dangerous thing.  Two blocks, ten minutes, six hours, three years.  No matter how far you are, you are never exactly where you want to be.  Goodbyes are tricky because they say a lot about the future.  Sometimes they mean “see you soon” or “I love you but I have to go now” or “it was nice meeting you” or “good luck” or “I never want to see you again”.  And sometimes goodbyes come so fast you don’t have time to prepare, while others you plan it and make it perfect saying everything you need to say, walking away feeling satisfied instead of lonely.  When you say goodbye and watch the other person fade into the distance, you’re left with the question, “will I see you again?”  Because really you are never going to know for sure.  Knowing that puts a lot of meaning into that farewell.  There are so many words you could use: goodbye, bye, see you later, adios, farewell, au revoir.  But there is so much more than just the letters.  There’s feeling and emotion behind them, trying to represent what they truly mean.  Can you really say it all when the moment comes?  I guess the truth is goodbyes can’t get rid of missing someone all the time.  You just have to trust that they understand what those last words meant.  Those two words that could be the last you say to them.  You have to hope they feel everything you are giving them when you shout, utter, whisper it, “Goodbye.”