series of goodbyes

"You know, I feel all my life has been a series of departures".... (from Reading Lolita in Tehran)

Long before I realized that this was a quote from a book, and that someone else has felt this way...I was feeling exactly this way. I think There have been more goodbyes than anything. I don't even want to begin counting all my goodbyes, and I hate them. But this past weekend, while my boys and their families were packing up and giving hugs and kisses goodbyes I was reminded again about how much more firmly in my mind the goodbyes stick than the hellos.

All of a sudden the time with friends, or family or a trip is over. And, Oh Rats, I still needed to herd everyone together to get that picture. I am told that I always wait until the last minute to do the family picture. You know the one: 7 adults, 4 boys under 5 and 2 dogs scrunched together in front of the camera. Smile, keep your eyes open, hold still, look at the camera, blah blah blah. What's more I usually do it like this: "You can't go yet! We have to do a picture. Come on everyone. Stand here together..." It gets old, but I'm addicted to those moments. It definitely is a delaying tactic. No one is fooled either.

Then, hustle, hurry, load the kids, don't forget anything and out the door they go. The silence back on the inside is overwhelming.