It was almost exactly one year that I first posted this piece, and in saying goodbye to yet another colleague this coming weekend I find it still says what I’m feeling:
It has become painfully clear that the more people we love, the more opportunities there are to feel sad when we have to say goodbye. Should we choose to love fewer people? I don’t think so. The Easter season brings particularly potent reminders of all the different ways life can change – graduations, weddings, and in particular this month, saying goodbye to another member of the clergy staff who has contributed so much to the life and work of St. Alban’s – The Rev. Dr. Carol Flett. To put my bittersweet feelings into words, I went to my three very favorite sources of wisdom:
Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened. ~Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss)
Narrator: And so we come to the last chapter, in which Pooh and Christopher Robin go to the enchanted part of the forest, and we say goodbye.
Winnie the Pooh: Goodbye? Oh no, please. Can`t we just go back to page one and start all over again?
Narrator: Sorry, Pooh, but all stories have an ending, you know.
Winnie the Pooh: Oh, bother.
Why can’t we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn’t work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos. ~Charles M. Schulz
Intellectually, we know – or at least we hope – that there are plenty of hellos ahead in all of our lives, but for now the goodbyes aren’t very fun. Which is why we should have the Beatles sing a little song to cheer us up.
The Daily Cup 
Thank you, so much, Sonya, for your poignant and humorous thoughts on good-byes and hello’s. They never see to match in number, though. Hello’s always seem awkward, and good-byes full of memories and gratitude. I will miss the staff at St. Alban’s for all the jokes and meaningful conversations we have had about just about everything. XO Carol
Can the choir do that last part on Sunday? 😉 –Noell S.
I’m often with Pooh, wanting to turn back the pages pages. But if I’d always been able to do that, I would have missed so much. So we all hope that Carol is blanketed with blessings in her new journey — and that there are some new ones ahead for the rest of us.
Meanwhile, I’m with Noell — I’m seeing DANCING! –JT
Oh how true! Such lovely examples too…………….thank you Sonya for recognizing Carol in a post.
Yes, I so agree, perfect examples – and Sonya, the choir can sing anything, sing us a song to cheer us up on Sunday!