For Those Who Are Leaving

We will miss you.

Leaving is hard. It's hard for everyone, even for the ones who were ready to go yesterday. For the ones who were born with their bags packed. For the adventurers--the change-agents--the world-shakers. It's hard for all of them and all of us, and it might be hard for you, too. So if any part of this leaving has felt even the tiniest bit hard--well, that's because it's supposed to.

We will miss you.

Staying is hard, too. We understand that there comes a time for each of us, in various moments in our lives, when it's just time. Should we stay or should we go is more feeling than thought--more sensation than science. When you stop and listen to yourself, what you really want and what you really need--the answer really does just appear. Sometimes we hear, "Now" sometimes we hear, "Later," and staying when we know we will leave--that is hard, too.

We will miss you.

When you first told us that you were leaving, we felt sad. Really sad. Because how in the world could anyone ever replace you? You for cryin' out loud!

You.

There is only one you, and we are sad to see you go. But listen, we're not telling you this to make you feel bad or second-guess yourself or your next steps. We're just telling you for connection. We're telling you for the honesty. We're telling you so you know.

We will miss you.

Thank you for brightening our days. For listening to our stories. Thank you for bringing in goodies, for checking on our families, for giving us a second chance. And maybe a third or fourth one, too. Thank you for sitting beside us, in those dark times, in those unbearable times. In the times when we needed you the most. Thank you for lifting our spirits, for guiding with purpose, for choosing to care for yourself even when you didn't know how.

We will miss you.

You know, we're not sure you know this, but you really changed our lives. Honestly, you did. And in a way, we're excited to see whose lives you change next. Whose hearts you reach. Whose dreams you develop. We know that it's time, and you need to move on, and we know that maybe this feels hard for you too. And even though we're sad and even though we'll miss you, we also are so very proud. You are amazing, dear friend, and we are so very proud of you.

We are so very proud of you.

It's not easy to make a change, take a chance, start again, leave your home. It's not easy to make new friends, create new things, coach new teams. While it may feel like you're going off on your own--this is, in fact, untrue. We carry us with you, dear friend, and there's nothing you could ask that we wouldn't do.

We are so very proud of you.

So don't overthink it. When you get to that new place and you're feeling a little uneasy, a little homesick, a little unsure. You're doing the next right thing, and that's all that counts. Don't overthink it when you want to call, or text, or email, or post, or tag, or visit. Just do it. Reach out. Send the funny GIF. Share the new pictures. Stay you as you move and know that you can always move back towards us.

We are so very proud of you.

And here's a truth: You can come back. You can return. You can stay and go. Stay and go. We want to see you--so come back and visit. Ask us how our kids are doing, and laugh about the inside jokes we used to share. They're still ours. You still know us. We still love you. We are so very proud of you and your new adventures. And we will miss you so much.

Both of these are true.

You carry us within you.