Goodbyes

The only certain things about lifes are "goodbyes".

We met each other, or know someone, became very close and eventually saying goodbye.

Same goes with parent||children relationships.

When the baby was conceived and carried, the baby is 100% depend on his/her mom. Then they were born. A little goodbye from the womb that coccooning the embryo to safety.

When the baby started to go to school, those tiny little hands wave you goodbye upon entering the classroom, and you go home to an empty nest (or some refuse to go home and waited outside class).

Don't we all hate goodbyes?

I still remember the first fieldtrip when my youngest was in PlayGroup, he's looking out from inside the bus window's, smiling proudly that he will go alone without me, waving his hand in the air and I feel that my eyes became wet.

Proud that he is so confident and happy (who doesn't?). Sad because he reached another level of competence that later will prepare him to be detached completely from us.

As time goes by, these little separations became norms for our simple life, campings, retreats, leadership trainings. Waving goodbye became more chores than a saddening events.

Then there are summer camp abroad. And we have to wave goodbyes at the airports, where they anxiously but enthusiastically  and curiously wants to explore beyond this shore, just like Moana in Disney Movie.

23 days without seeing them, hearing their voice, listening to their stories, and (this is true for my 2nd child) not scolding and keep reminding them is tough, as if a piece of this family is missing. Indeed. But it is necessary practice for the future and bigger goodbyes, I believe.

Then this week, I need to set my eldest to go with minimum comfort for school camping, well I knew she will survive. She is a fighter just like me.

Realizing that we have much more goodbyes ahead. May be when she go to University, or later get married... I cannot thank God enough of my limited time with them.

And all this will prepare us for the eternal goodbye... when God's calling us to return to His home.. I sincerely hope that my children are so ready to fly away and spread their wings, or already did, before my final closure.

Final goodbye...

Cibubur, 11 Oct 2017