No time for Goodbyes

I have an amazing family. I really do. My parents and grandparents especially have taught me so much over the years that has helped me to become the person I am today. One of these important lessons came from my dad. I speak to him, like I do my mom, once or twice a day. And he always has this thing about never saying goodbye to me at the end of a conversation… ever! He doesn’t let people say goodbye to him. If you do it without thinking, he either won’t respond or he’ll say something else in return, like have a good day or good night. Saying goodbye is a big issue for him.

And because of him it’s become an issue for me too. I’ve found that when I go to parties or when I’m with my brides from My Fair Wedding, I don’t say goodbye. As a result, I’ve been told that sometimes I come off as aloof or rude when I leave events without notice. I remember one time I attended a surprise 40th birthday party for a friend I hadn’t seen in years, and at the end of the night I left quietly. Mind you, I’d spent five hours mingling at the party. I just didn’t say goodbye.

Like my dad, I find the word “goodbye” to be very final. It doesn’t leave a door open to reconnect like “I’ll see you in a day” or “I’ll see you in ten years.” I’d rather not have that final moment with someone that I very much want to hear from again. And those people include my brides from My Fair Wedding as well as my clients-turned-friends.

Not saying goodbye to someone means you look forward to the next time you’re going to see that person. And for me personally, it almost forces me to mentally make plans to meet again because I feel like I owe my friends that next moment because I didn’t say goodbye. This way of thinking is subconscious and… maybe a little odd… but it works for me.

xo,

David