Leaving and Landing

“I really don’t like goodbyes.”

I heard this from many friends during the last weeks we spent in our beloved Marin County.  I also said it quite often. It seemed to hold the tears at bay, as well as the blubbering.  

As many of you know, I rarely cry in a dignified manner.  But looking back, each and every goodbye, was warm and comforting, genuine and beautiful.  

In our last weeks, a tremendous gift was given to us, and for this we’ll always be grateful to you.  The gift I mention, or better yet, treasure, as I see it now, was that Kerstin, Julian and I, amidst the many goodbyes, got to know you at the very deep level of tenderness that you shared with us.  

And in that tenderness, we grew to appreciate and love you more deeply than we may have otherwise.  What a great gift to receive, and to give.  

In those memorable embraces, your beautiful, friendly, loving and positive lights came shining through.   It did our hearts good to experience that, and we’ll forever be grateful.  

(That may be the understatement of the decade, but it’s the best I can do right now….)

Just as those goodbyes seemed to be breaking our hearts, the deep tenderness and the warm embraces went quickly to work mending them.  

I know already that every pain I experienced in moving away from you is healing because of the love you shared in the days before we left.  

When we landed in Australia, we were still wrapped in the warmth you shared with us.

We hope our warmth and love is with you as well.

We’ll travel back from time to time and with good fortune we’ll see you again some fine day very soon.  

Tom

(One of the wannabe wallabies)