the answer to good-bye
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I lived with my grandmother. She was eighty-nine years old. Everyone thought she would live a very long time.
I was working one day - and on that day, she passed away. And I thought, I didn’t get a chance to say good-bye. Every morning when I woke up, she was there. Every night when I went to bed, she was there. Every day she was so near. But in one moment, she was far away. And I, I didn’t get a chance to say good-bye.
I looked up at the sky and asked, “Why do people leave? Why don’t they say good-bye? How do you say good-bye to someone who is already gone?” That was my question, and I listened for an answer. But there was no reply.
People asked me, “How old was she?” “Eighty-nine,” I said. And they said, “Then don’t be sad. She lived a long life.” But still, I thought, I didn’t get a chance to say good-bye.
They asked me, “Did she feel any pain?” “No, I don’t think so,” I said. And they said, “Then don’t be too upset. It was easier for her.” But still, I thought, I didn’t get a chance to say good-bye.
And they asked, “Were you close with her? Did you know her very well?” “No, not really,” I said. And they said, “Then don’t be too sad.” But still, I thought, I didn’t get a chance to say good-bye.
The night before the funeral, I couldn’t sleep. I thought, “Tomorrow is the funeral. Tomorrow is the last chance for everyone to say good-bye.”
Tomorrow is the last chance for everyone to say good-bye to her. And then, the answer came to me. It hit me and filled my head. Like when you are taking a test, and you don’t remember the answer to a question. You think for the answer, but you can’t remember it. But then it comes to you. For no reason that you can see, the answer finds you. And that is how my answer came to me. And I was not sad anymore. I knew how to say good-bye.
There is no real good-bye, because we will see each other again – in heaven, or in the next life. It’s okay to be sad sometimes, but live a happy and good life. Those who have passed away from this world, would not wish for us to be sad for them - for if they saw us miserable, would they not also be sad and suffer as well? We need only remember that they still live - if we let them live inside our hearts. If we take the best of who they were, carry it within us, and pass it on to all those we meet in our lives - so that they live forever. And live so that the next time you meet, you will have many happy stories to share with each other.
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