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The Silent Goodbyes

September 12, 2025

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I didn’t always understand the depth of time- how it sneaks away unnoticed, letting pieces of life slip away before you realize it. One moment, you’re sitting at the dinner table, laughing with your parents, siblings, and loved ones, and the next, you’re standing at an airport, saying goodbye to your brother, or staring at an empty chair that once belonged to someone you loved. The people and moments you thought were constants start to fade.

When I was younger, time felt infinite. It seemed like it would always be there, like I could always say, “I’ll do it tomorrow,” or, “We’ll have more time later.” But the truth is, tomorrow is a promise that time doesn’t always keep.

I’ll never forget the day my brother left. The house felt different that morning, as though it already knew it was losing a part of itself. My brother, who used to drive me crazy by stealing the last slice of cake and hiding the TV remote just to see me yell, was suddenly quiet. The goodbye snuck up on us. For the first time, he wasn’t the loud, teasing brother I knew. He couldn’t even say the words. He just nodded, swallowed hard, and hugged me like he never had before. The same guy who teased me endlessly about being emotional had tears in his eyes he couldn’t hide, and my own eyes reflected his. That’s when I realized it wasn’t just him leaving; it was the end of a chapter I wasn’t ready to close.

My parents… Oh, my parents. It’s strange how much we take them for granted when they’re always there, isn’t it? I see the years catching up with them- the way my dad sits down a little slower or how my mom sometimes forgets where she left her glasses. These are quiet, constant reminders that time doesn’t stand still. Someday, the kitchen won’t smell of her cooking, and I won’t hear her calling me to come eat. Someday, my dad’s voice won’t fill the house with his stories. The thought is unbearable, but it’s also real.

Then there are the goodbyes we didn’t see coming, the ones we weren’t ready for, the ones that still ache in the quiet moments. The loved ones we lost too soon before we even understood what goodbye really meant. I didn’t know if the last time we laughed together, or the last time I saw their smile, would truly be the last. I think back to hospital rooms and fleeting moments I didn’t recognize as final. If I’d known, I would’ve held their hand longer, told them how much they mattered, and promised they’d always live on in my heart. I would’ve reminded them how they shaped me, how they molded me into who I am today. But I didn’t. Now, those moments are frozen in time, reminders of the chances I didn’t take.

Just like the people we love, the places that once felt like home slip away without us realizing it. Life doesn’t give us do-overs. It doesn’t pause to let us soak in the moments we didn’t realize were fleeting. It just keeps moving, pulling us further and further away from the people and places that once made up our entire world.

There are places that hold pieces of us, places we don’t realize we’ll miss until they’re gone. The kitchen where my mom cooked our favorite meals, the backyard where I spent countless hours playing with my siblings, and the old swing set at the park where we laughed until we couldn’t breathe. These places were part of the rhythm of my life. But when I visit them now, they feel distant. The house isn’t the same; the park has been replaced by new developments. Even the biscuits we used to eat are no longer around. It’s not just the physical spaces, it’s the moments they hold. And as much as we may want to go back, it’s strange to realize how much those little pieces of our past have changed or disappeared, leaving us holding onto the memories of places and things that no longer exist as we remember.

I’ve made mistakes. I’ve let moments pass that I’ll never get back. And that’s the hardest part to live with, the regret of not knowing it was goodbye. The weight of the words left unspoken, the hugs left ungiven, the time we let slip through our fingers because we thought we had plenty of it.

But maybe you don’t have to.

The little things we take for granted today become the moments we ache for tomorrow. Hug the people you love. Tell them how much they mean to you. Sit with your mom in the kitchen and listen to her stories, even if you’ve heard them a hundred times. Call your brother just to hear his voice. Spend time with your sister, even when she’s driving you crazy, because one day, she’ll pack her things, move out, and start a life of her own. The sibling who shared your room, borrowed your clothes, and annoyed you endlessly won’t always be just down the hall. Don’t wait for the perfect time, because time isn’t waiting for you.

One day, when the house feels quieter, when the echoes of laughter are only memories, those moments will mean everything. And I hope, when you look back, you’ll find comfort in knowing you didn’t let time slip by without truly living it.

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If I had known how fragile time was, I would’ve embraced every moment, and held onto the people, the places, and the little things I took for granted.

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