Farewell

Throughout our lives there are many times that we bid ‘farewell’ to people and places. Like when we move from one place to another, we say farewell to the home we have lived in ~ sometimes for many years ~ creating the space in our lives in which we can welcome the new house, and the new chapter in our lives. The same is true for finishing High School and moving on to the College of our choice. And as a group of friends scatter in order to start that new chapter in each of their lives, we bid farewell to them. Even changing jobs can have that effect on us; saying our goodbyes to our colleagues while looking forward to that new job, the new challenge, and the hopefully new and higher pay…

The same is true for place that we have been.
When we have spent time in a place that we particularly like ~ even if it is just for a vacation ~ leaving that place can bring a certain sense of sadness to us, as we are aware that we are saying goodbye to a place that has been good to us. A place that we may or may not return to over time; even when right at that moment we are confident we will.
Even in the times of old when our Tribe would travel north in Spring in order to spend Summer in their Summer camp, and travel south come Fall in order to escape the brunt of the Winter.

It is therefore a sentiment that is as old as the ages; that sadness mixed with the realization of how good a time it has been in this place, with this company…

No wonder that there are many ways to wish us well as we start our journey away from our familiar surroundings, and familiar faces.
From ‘So long!’, ‘Later!’, ‘Bye!’, to ‘Be safe!’, ‘Be well!’, or ‘Take care!’. And there are as many or more blessings like:
“A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.”
Or this one:
“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again.”

But perhaps there is no wish so all encompassing as the Sailor’s wish:
"Fair winds and a following sea.”

Whether it is for our next trip, our next adventure; or for that last journey when we cross the waters to the other side, when it comes to saying farewell, I wish you fair winds and a following sea.
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