A Long Goodbye

Due in part to my love for film, I have noticed something of a line that by now I'm sure has become something of a cliche, "I hate long goodbyes." If not those exact words, variations of them conveying the same message, while not omnipresent, often do occur. In my immediate circle of friends, I can think of no one who truly relishes a long goodbye. There is something that makes the process slightly more painful when it is drawn out. When we are forced to make our peace many times with perhaps not seeing someone again, we give more of ourselves (at least, most of the time I feel that I do). It is not that long goodbyes don't have their places, just far too much do people comment on how they don't like them.

Sometimes, we have to take what farewells we can get. Those in favor of long goodbyes may say because of this every goodbye should be a longer one. I don't hold to that point of view. We say goodbye where and when we can. If that's all we get, well there's no use in complaining about it. We can feel guilty all we want, but as long as we say good bye, no matter the length, we've done all we can do for those we are leaving or those who are leaving us. We take what can get, and that's just the way the world is sometimes.