Goodbye, Hello, Goodbye.

Everyone has a different view on what goodbye means.  To some, it signifies a finite end, to others it's a temporary inconvenience.  Some people hate saying goodbye, others see it as a step along the process of life.  It can even mean something different at different times in life.

For me, saying goodbye to people can be tough.  I'm not the most outgoing person, and most of the close friends I've made over the years are currently scattered as far as the winds of life have blown them. I tend to brush goodbyes off as another step in the leaving process to avoid showing how I truly feel, which is gratitude for each person being in my life, sadness to be missing them for a period of time, and excitement/trepidation for the next step.

As I leave the U.S. for at least the next 7 months to begin the trip of a lifetime- exploring South America by foot- I try and take time to look back and be grateful for those who  I get to say goodbye to, who have been supportive of me throughout the last few years, as well as some who have been in my life longer. I'm a fortunate human in having friends who want to play outside with me, share their inner selves and stories, help me to grow as a person, or just sit and listen while I cry about unfair things in the world. I try to remember not everyone has that support, and my hope is that I can be as helpful to others as my friends have been to me.

In modern society, it seems as though we often push our emotions off until it's 'convenient' or 'better timing'.  I've seen it happen with others and (obviously) do it myself. I'm working on this, and believe I'm becoming better for the work put in. A huge thank you goes to everyone out there pushing/pulling/supporting/encouraging me to be a better person, it's you who's helped me become me!

I can't blame my loved ones for wanting the most out of life, even if its not as physically near to me as I'd like. I'm about to head as far away as I can to start my next adventure.  Some may think what I'm about to undertake is hard-and it will be in a way-but I feel the hardest part is being open and vulnerable. The soft ache in my heart will remind me of all my loves scattered across the globe.