Till We Meet Again

It can be tough to see people walk out of our lives, just as it can be tough to walk out of theirs. I have found that one of the toughest things in life is the knowledge that there are some people that I cherish or have cherished that I will likely never see again. That is true whether it concerns friends, former friends, or former loves. Sometimes it is because the relationship ended or changed. Sometimes it is due to the actual physical distance between us.

Don’t get me wrong, I have known this for some time. I have left relationships that I had treasured with the knowledge that we would likely never see one another again. That is one of the things that can make the end of a relationship so painful (although seeing them with someone else can be a particularly painful event too, if they were a romantic partner). And the pain of parting was real even if I understood that things were likely working out for the best.

I have certainly met people that I did not date and that I did not consider a friend. I am certainly not distressed by the possibility that I might never see them again. But there have not been too many such cases regarding people for whom I once cared about. I can count on one hand the number of people to whom I have expressed a desire to never see again. To get to that point with me takes some doing. It really does. I have been profoundly angered and hurt by someone and I still didn’t feel the need to tell them that I hoped that our paths never crossed again. Again, for me to reach and cross that particular Rubicon almost takes a concerted effort on the part of a person seemingly intent upon alienating and antagonizing me.

Anyway, people come and go in our lives. It has likely always been like that once people moved beyond their tribes. It is a part of life.

What is more, we are fortunate enough to live in a time of telecommunications/digital communications to stay in touch with our family and friends. We are fortunate to live in a time of swift airline travel and interstate highways so that we can travel relatively easily. I consider what it must have been like to travel in the 18th and 19th centuries. Considering the limitations of communication and transportation technology, I am certain that even close family members might have just disappeared without a trace during their travels.

Willie Nelson’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” always hits me with that somewhat melancholy feeling that comes with saying a goodbye where you know that you might not see the other person on this side of the pearly gates. With that being said, I love that song! Below is a link to a music video for the song. Enjoy! 🥲