I am definitely not a fan of saying goodbye. Whether is saying it just for a short while or saying it indefinitely, no matter how tough you are or how emotional you get, it is never easy to say goodbye to the ones you love. It's not easy to see the ones we leave our lives in the capacity they serve. Whether they are leaving for a short while, moving to another country, giving up a position or gone to heaven, it's hard to imagine your world any different from the norm.

I've had to say quite a few goodbyes in my lifetime and for many, many different reasons. Though most of them have left me in disbelief and discomfort, they have all left me stronger. I've become stronger, not because I'm happy to see them go or because I'm not as emotional as I use to be or because I've become an expert at this (even though, honestly I probably have). I've become stronger because, for each goodbye I have had to say I have had, I have learned a very valuable life lessons. When I look back at the memories I shared with that person, the reason for our goodbye or their last words to me, there is always something that truly speaks to me.

Tonight I celebrated my choir director as he led our gospel choir into our final moments together. And though his goodbye only means I'll be watching from a distance, it didn't make the blow of losing such noble leader any easier. The good thing is, as I look back, there is so much to be grateful for and so many happy moments and not so happy ones that I will cherish. But most of all there are quite a few lessons that I have learned.

This goodbye reminded me to persevere towards my goal, as my choir director is a living testimony of someone who has defied the odds and become successful. He taught me to listen to God and live according to his will. My director thought me to love the people I come in contact with, to share in their pain and to be a beacon of strength for those who look up to you. My choir director encouraged me to be the kind of person I need other to be for me.

Though I'd rather the world without goodbyes, I can't help but be grateful for the lessons they teach. Goodbyes force you to look back, and they force you to cherish the moments you've shared, as goodbyes usually mean that's all you'll have left for a while. Goodbyes are sad, they are emotional, they are a trip down memory lane, but the next time you have to say goodbye, concentrate on the message it is trying to send you and not the emotional mess it is leaving you in.