56.
56 hellos.
56 goodbyes.
56 i’ll see you soons.
56 is the number of farewells I have made over the past five years living in London. In a way, this has become a normal part of my life now. What starts as a simple hello, ends with a difficult goodbye. I would like to say they get easier, but sadly they don’t.
I have been away from my gorgeous homeland for a while now. I left my beautiful coastal paradise with a sense of adventure…moving to a country on the other side of the world, further than I had ever traveled before. What I didn’t plan for, was how much I would fall in love. I fell in love with this transient city I now call home for this season of my life. London has a big piece of my heart and I don’t think i’m going to get it back any time soon.
I was compelled to write this after witnessing one of the many goodbyes I had to say last year. I was on the train back to the house, listening to music and a song came on randomly that sparked things in my mind. The culmination of my thoughts came together and I couldn’t help but put them into words. This farewell hit me harder than I was expecting, not particularly by the parting itself, but more so by the reaction from my other friends saying goodbye.
When it comes to farewells I have witnessed every aspect. The difficult hugs goodbye…when you don’t want this one to be the last. The tears…when the realisation finally sets in that this is actually happening. And the last hold of the hand…gasping tightly because you don’t know when you will be reunited again. Every second is precious in these moments. These are the ones we remember long after the person has gone.
I have been incredibly fortunate to have made so many new friends along the way. Each one of us with a unique colour to offer the world. Intertwining, weaving and looping our way though each others lives…creating a distinctive tapestry all of our own that would look completely different had these people not entered into our lives in the first place. Every catch up, adventure and late night laugh contributing something special to this beautiful picture. Sometimes I stop myself and think back. Over all the adventures my life has taken me on so far, I am blessed to have a tapestry full of amazing colours from beautiful people I have met. Even though the goodbyes are difficult, I wouldn’t change a thing. I would much rather have a challenging goodbye, than avoid possible hellos.
Sending hugs & smiles,
Vanessa
