I'll help you say good bye

Today I saw off a family I love so very much. They’re moving further south in the state, not so far that I won’t be able to see them often, but they won’t be in town anymore. I won’t be able to see the kids all the time. I won’t hear them calling my name or Isabella’s. It killed me to watch their little girl wave good bye out the window of their red explorer, like I’d see her tomorrow. It’s not “Good bye”. It is “I’ll see you later” we said. She was who I ran to when another family was close to moved away. I cried so hard saying “She’s gone.” My heart was in a million pieces. There was a time when her little girl pulled me out of so much pain, when my glimmer of hope died. I can never repay her for such a thing. This is the hardest part of being in a military town.

I find it so strange how easily I can become attached to people. Not everyone of course, but some people I’ll have only known for a short time and become very fond of them. Others I’ve seen through so much; Marriage, divorce, babies being born. The privilege to take their first photos and hear their first words, second babies being born and horribly bad dinners I’ve made. We’ve gotten drunk together, watched horrible children’s shows, anime’s and sang off key in front of strangers. We’ve learned languages together, and had horrible fights that only ended when we both refused to admit we were wrong. You were there for all of my medical procedures and times when I went crying into your arms, granted that last one didn’t happen too often, but I was so thankful that you were there. Thank you for listening to my horrible jokes that often made no sense to anyone but me, and those of you with a similar twisted minds, for listening to me whine about stupid things I can't even remember anymore. Thank you for putting up with my constant singing, and never speaking ONLY English. 

There is so much I am thankful for. Mostly thank you for being in my life. It’s always hard to leave my friends, no matter the circumstance.

I'll help you say goodbye