Goodbyes Are Only For Dead People | Life Love and Hiccups: Goodbyes Are Only For Dead People
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Thursday 9 May 2013

Goodbyes Are Only For Dead People

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Just over a year ago I rang a cleaning agency and asked them to please send me someone who could come around and help me keep this house clean. I was working ridiculously long hours and I just wanted to steal back some time on the weekends to spend with my family rather than cleaning the bathrooms.

When I rang that agency, I was after clean bathtubs and non smudgy shower screens, what I certainly didn't expect was to gain a beautiful friend.

Lisa arrived at our house that first day and I knew within minutes as we stood in my kitchen gassbagging, that we were going to get along brilliantly.
Originally from England, she was now living locally with her absolute gentleman of a husband and her gorgeous little girl.

I honestly had no idea that morning as I showed Lisa around our house, just how big a part of our lives she and her family would become.

As you know I am very lucky to be blessed with 3 beautiful boys, but I have always craved a daughter.

One Thursday in the school holidays, this little 7 year old bubble burst into my life and into our home in the form of Hettie, Lisa's adorable daughter.

With her big smile and even bigger heart she totally won us all over and that gorgeous little girl could ask me to do anything, anything at all and I would, just because I adore her so.

Over the next year, my fridge became a gallery for the beautiful pictures and cards that Hettie frequently made me.

My boys became not only friendly with Hettie, but they cared about her in the protective way that big brothers do, and as a family our friendship with Lisa, Aid and Hettie became simply precious.

A few months ago circumstances for Lisa and her family changed and they were forced to make a decision to prepare to leave this country they adore, and return home to England. And as hard as we try to tell each other that this is the way it is supposed to be and that things always happen for a reason, the reality is it just sucks.

It is one big sucky situation all wrapped up in a whole lot more suckiness.

Last night Lisa and her family came to say Goodbye to us except we decided that Goodbyes are only for dead people and that we would rather go with more of a See you Later approach.

It was supposed to be less painful that way.

But it wasn't.

After they left I sat and read through the bag of letters and drawings Hettie had made for me as a farewell gift.

Bless her, this little girl who has already given me more than she could ever imagine, made me pictures and cards so that I wouldn't forget her.

As if I could.

She also gave me this.

Her bracelet.



I will wear this proudly as a constant reminder of the little girl who totally and completely won my heart and her Mum and Dad who we are so blessed to call our friends.

Lisa,

I know you will be reading this and I just want you to remember this is just the way it is supposed to be.... for now. 

Distance can't erase a special friendship, nor can it ever break a precious bond.

Now make sure you give that little girl of yours a special hug every single day and tell her it is from me.

(please excuse the red eyes I'm blaming both the crying and the camera)


Have you ever had someone special move away, like far far away? 
Or have you ever been the one that has had to move away?
And have you ever a found a special friend in the most unlikeliest of places?