Moving On

I hate saying haere ra (goodbye).

I get really grumpy/shitty when I have to do so, and I probably should get over that, considering how I live my life. But there's something about the saying of goodbyes that reminds me of tangihanga and death, grief and burial, and I'm not good at any of those.

When my much-loved Mother died, I didn't come home for the tangi. I have since been told that my not coming back was inappropriate, but we all grieve in our own ways. For me, that way was to go to a dear friend's home and not talk for three months. When I don't talk, my friends worry.

I am hating saying haere ra this time also. I have made friends, renewed friendships, helped raise pups and save one from a bullet. And I do know I will be missed (by the pup, at least.) I STILL hate saying goodbye!