That's No Way To Say Goodbye

a short dissection of a word no one asked for

I’ve always struggled with the word “goodbye” . The word itself feels insufficient. A mere shadow of the weight carried in moments of farewell.

Recently I had to experience one of the most heart wrenching goodbyes of my life. I struggle every day to understand how and why it could have happened. When the time came to utter that final “goodbye,” there was nothing good about it.

I learned the origin of the word is actually  “God be with ye” and it dates back centuries to a time when people didn’t have the means of communication we do today and often weren't sure when or if they would see each other again. It was a prayer for well-being, a wish for safe passage until paths crossed again.