Goodbye MOs

Have you ever noticed how many ways of saying goodbye there are? I hadn't thought much about it until I had occasion to say goodbye to nearly everyone I have known in the last five years. Other than being another exercise in letting other people down, it was a fascinating window into the status of my relationships with various folks. Here are some top favorites:

• The gut-wrenching-really-really-sad-I'm-leaving-this-friendship-has-changed-my-life goodbye which often involves the exchanging of super precious and touching gifts* and tears. 
• But there's also the so-glad-to-have-the-opportunity-to-exit-this-friendship-because-actually-I'm-not-that-into-you-but-not-so-much-so-that-I-would-have-broken-up-with-you-because-that-would-be-awkward goodbye which you can reserve for folks who you are not that sad about leaving which usually is awkward in that it feels as though it should be emotional but isn't. 
• And then there is the sorry-we-never-actually-fulfilled-the-potential-of-having-a-relationship goodbye which can be saved for neighbors and other people who you never got to know, but who seemed okay.
• There is also the I-am-so-so-so-happy-I'm-leaving-this-relationship/work situation/commitment/whatever-but-I-will-try-to-mask-my-joy-so-it-won't-be-so-awkward-for-you goodbye reserved for jobs you hated or "extra-curriculars" that had taken over your life with no exit strategy except moving across the country.
• Sometimes you can be surprised by the oops-I-miscalculated-how-good-of-friends-we-were-and-didn't-prepare-the-appropriate-goodbye-strategy goodbye which is usually accompanied by surprising proclamations of how you completely changed someone's life whose name you had trouble even remembering. 
• And then there is the sorry-I'm-ruining-your-life-by-leaving goodbye which is a small part of every single goodbye you say when leaving a church.

I employed all these (and combinations of them) as I took my leave from the East last month. And maybe even some others I didn't think of here. But if I missed you, then I offer to you a so-sorry-we-didn't-get-a-chance-to-say-goodbye-and-now-I-am-offering-an-expost-facto-electronic-goodbye-which-is-a-bit-awkward goodbye!

*My amazingly talented friend actually crocheted for us two guardian angels for our trip cross country, based on her intimate knowledge of my obsession with YouTube stuff like this. Here they are just waiting to cross the nation:

How cool is THAT? I love having talented friends! Love you DRJ!