life is a series of hellos and goodbyes
i guess it’s time for goodbye again.
-billy joel
it strikes me how much of this condition is like aging in an instant, but really badly. people who age “normally” have to lose one thing after another- first their eyesight, then their memory, then their chewing ability, not to mention friends. perhaps mobility. they’re constantly saying goodbye to something or other. i don’t know what’s easier to deal with- losing abilities little by little and saying goodbye over and over or in one fell swoop.
at least one way you get practice- although the internal dialogue might go something like this: “oh no! this too? i’m gonna fake it and hope everybody doesn’t notice.”
the other way is like pulling off a bandaid all at once, the theory being to “just get it over with”.
i asked a friend which way would they pick, and, predictably, they chose over and over again.
i know what i would choose.