See you laters

This chapter is named after the other phrase for Goodbyes for a reason.

Until this day, this is the one thing I hate the most. I have had too many of them.

And I am not talking about goodbyes in the way of someone dying, which is even worse, but regular goodbyes as in See you later.

Let’s elaborate.

A few weeks ago a person who I got close to since moving to a new city, moved away. You might say this is a small matter and insignificant.

But I had too many of them. I remember too many goodbyes, too many see you laters, too many I won’t forget yous. That is part of life, an elementary part of my life in any case, and you would think I would grow numb to it. But I still haven’t. It still hurts me to be away from people I care about.

In some cases this can feel like your heart is being ripped apart. This was what I felt when I left my little brother at Helsinki airport. This was what I felt when that plane took off in Colorado, and when the plane took off in Bangkok. And the boat in Sihanoukville in Cambodia. Just to name a few instances.

This is what I feel every time I say bye to my family. This is what I still feel when I say bye to a person I care about.

I cherish them as I am lucky to have known them. However, there are no guarantees that we will meet again.

Not goodbye, but see you later.