When we are called to part, it gives us inward pain… said the old hymn, which Jane hummed under her breath while standing at the gate, waving goodbye to a friend. She had come all the way from another city, bearing home-made pickles, her trademark laughter, and tales of our childhood escapades that involved frogs in schoolbags and stolen mangoes from Father Pereira’s tree. And now, with her suitcase rattling behind her and her Uber driver honking impatiently, it was time for the worst part of any reunion—the end.
Goodbyes are strange creatures. They arrive without warning, dress themselves in the finest of farewells, and then leave a lump in your throat and a soggy handkerchief in your pocket. You’d think the modern world—with its Zoom calls, WhatsApp chats, and Instagram reels—would have made parting easier. “We’ll stay in touch,” we say gallantly. But no matter how many emojis you throw in, nothing quite matches a real hug or the last cup of coffee before someone leaves.
And yet, as the hymn goes on, there’s that hopeful bit: “We know we’re joined in heart, and hope to meet again.” That, dear reader, is the glue that holds our hearts together while distance stretches our physical presence like a rubber band. We may be miles apart, but the heart remembers. It remembers how she laughed till chai came out of her nose, or how he always added an extra samosa on your plate even when there were only two.
I once asked a retired navy admiral what the hardest part of service was. I expected him to say bullets or bunkers. “Leaving behind the men I trained with,” he said. “We shared meals, battles, and sometimes, secrets. And then, one by one, they left. That goodbye is not in any drill manual.”
Even in our societies, like the one I’ve just written on—Hi Society —people will move. The Sharma family may go off to Pune. Mrs. D’Souza might want to live with her son in Canada. And each time, they hold a farewell, give a bouquet, and said that oft-repeated phrase, “Do come back soon!” Some will. Most may not. But the memories will linger, like the smell of biryani long after the lid is lifted.
Yet maybe, just maybe, goodbyes are life’s way of reminding us that we had something worth parting from. You can’t feel sad saying goodbye unless the moments you spent were worth cherishing. That ache in the chest? That’s joy’s signature, left behind like a calling card.
So yes, parting gives us inward pain. But let’s not forget—we’re joined in heart. And whether it’s over another round of coffee, or at some unexpected airport lounge, or maybe even at that great buffet in the sky—we do hope to meet again.
Till then, hold onto the laughter, tuck away the memories, and keep the tears from falling…!