Saying Goodbye

I love quotes. I guess that’s why I came up with Write Stuff Wednesday. Usually, I share a writing related quote, but really I’m a fan of any type of quote. I especially love quotes from children’s books. Today’s quote falls into this category.

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” – Winnie the Pooh

I’ve had friends come and go in my life. Some have been incredibly hard to say goodbye to and even now, years later, I still find myself thinking about them. Their friendship was that special kind of relationship that shapes who you are. They are beside you in the bad times and laughing with you in the good times. You grow together and support each other. You can trust them just as they can trust you. Their absence doesn’t go unnoticed.

Some books are like that too. Some end and you go about life as usual. You enjoyed them while reading them, but as you turn that last page you’re satisfied with the end. Their story is over, and you are ready to move on.

Other books are harder to place back on that shelf. Whether it’s the characters or the message or both, you connect with the book in a deeper way. You empathize with the characters’ pains and relate to their struggles. Maybe they’re dealing with the same doubts you face. Maybe you’ve experienced a similar loss. Whatever the reason, reading these books is like holding up a mirror and seeing yourself. You connect with people dreamed up in the imagination of someone else. Reaching the end of these books isn’t as easy. The resolution of their problems may be satisfying, but their story has not left you unchanged. You’ve been encouraged or challenged as you’ve read each page. These are hard books to leave behind. These are the books you visit again and again.

These are the books I want to write. I would love nothing more than for people to come away from my stories changed for the better. I would count myself successful to know that others have connected with the characters I created and come away encouraged or challenged in their faith. As I strive to learn and grow as a writer, it is my hope that those who read my books will find “something that makes saying goodbye so hard”.