How Does Moving Away From Friends Work?

The whole idea of saying farewell to my past has plagued me since the moment I said "Bye, y'all!" to the last of my moving crew and maneuvered my Prius out of Flagler Pointe and onto the highway.  I have never cared for goodbyes; in fact, I suck at them.  

For six months I talked of virtually nothing except that I was leaving South Florida.  I planned and talked and planned and shared and planned until I decided I didn't really want much of a plan.  Everyone knew that I was leaving and they knew when I was leaving, and yet when it came time to leave each of my friends, I was stunned beyond words.  "Ummm…this is it…ummm….see ya soon?  Uh, I guess, um….I love ya….it's been great….uh….." and I would get in my car, blinded by tears, and drive into the blur. 

Will I see you again?  (Sounds like an episode title of one of my favorite podcasts:  Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com--"How Does Moving Away From Friends Work?").  

Over these past few weeks, my memory software in my brain got a reboot, and I have been inundated with thoughts of the life-changing moves I have made over the years. I discovered a saddening reality about my goodbyes:  The past seems to stay there.  I realized that my best friends, my confidantes, my family--we all fell out of touch.  We moved, changed phone numbers, and then…nothing.

Today, however, I have hope.  I am hopeful that social media will maintain those friendships, and I have confidence that my presence on FaceBook will lend itself to truly lasting bonds.  

But what about you, my dear friends, who have chosen to keep your lives private, shying away from exposing yourself to the world?  We will have to work harder to remain in touch, but I am hopeful that this blog will provide an easy way for us to continue our relationships.  Please email me, call me, keep me in your hearts; you are in mine--even while I'm tripping…

julie