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When Relationships Come With a Departure Date — Are We Holding On or Just Passing Through?
There is something about a return ticket that strikes a fear deep within me — a silent yet persistent feeling that haunts my heart. It came back again recently when my mother came to spend time with me. Her visit brought warmth and comfort, but an emergency cut her stay short, and she had to leave. Watching her go reminded me of how fragile and fleeting these moments are. The return ticket yet again became a reminder — that everyone who comes into my life is bound to leave, eventually.
I have lived in the shadow of this fear for as long as I can remember. There was someone who once meant the world to me, someone who had the habit of showing up unannounced, bringing joy and surprise, only to leave just as suddenly. The journey from the thrill of their presence to the hollow ache of their departure was like an emotional roller coaster I never signed up for. When this feeling could have been so much more than what it used to be, it only ever left me a void that nothing could fill. The unpredictability gave them a power I should never have given away, and it drained me of my expectations, energy, and even my excitement for life.
Yet, I found myself yearning for assurances — for the impossible promise that maybe someone I loved would stay forever. Somehow deep down, I…
