We are packing our bags – again. Preparing for our move from our St. Paul Airbnb to our Sioux Falls Airbnb en route to our Sioux Falls home. This is exhausting. I’ve probably said that before. I sure say it all the time when people ask how I am doing.
So, now it is time to say good bye. And, let me tell you, this is a very weird experience.
I call it our “Farewell Tour”. John and I sat down and made mental and paper lists of people we wanted to include in our tour. There were individuals and there were groups. Along the way, I’m sure we missed a few.
Dancing for the last time with my line dance group made me weep. Saying good bye to the staff at my church made me weep. Saying goodbye to another church group made me want to weep. Saying goodbye to my pickleball group and my mahjong group will surely bring on the waterworks this coming week.
Bidding farewell to close friends is tough, but not impossible. We keep it light, largely because we believe we will continue to see these friends on our visits to St. Paul. I hope we are right. Saying good bye to casual friends is downright surreal. I mean, how do you say, “Good bye – forever”? Because I think, realistically, I may not see this group of friends again. But instead of saying final farewell, we say, “Ok, see you around”, because the idea of a permanent farewell is just too painful.
In fact, this whole Farewell Tour is painful. Surreal. And, yes, exhausting.
One thing this tour has shown me is how much I love my life here. My groups, my church, my mahjong, my pickleball, my volunteer job at “Bridging”, my friends. All my friends.
And, if the comments and the flowers and the notes are any indication, I am so loved, which is a very nice thing to know. Being loved brings me great JOY.
So, good bye. And remember, there is always a room waiting for you in our new Sioux Falls home.
Until then, thanks for all the JOYful memories.