Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow!

1. The little boy looks on despondently as his friend exchanges final glances. The war is going on, and his buddy has joined the volunteer army. They’ve tried their best to enjoy this final day, fishing, boating, and silently napping under the big willow tree together. But in the end, the boy can’t help but worry. He’s afraid. He’s scared. He suddenly feels all alone. What if he doesn’t come back, he wonders. What if he becomes just another casualty, another number, destined to provide so much for the sake of so little. The little one grabs the soldier-to-be’s shirt sleeve, his eyes filled with sorrow and longing. Don’t leave me, they say. Don’t leave. The young man recognizes these feelings, but he’s already made his decision. He’s always finished what he’s started, and this is no exception. He leans down and graciously hugs the boy, warmly embracing him. He senses the boy’s hot tears dripping onto his shirt, and gives him one final smile. It encourages the boy. It proudly announces that he will return. On that tender note, the gentleman walks home without looking back. “It’s better this way,” he mutters. “He must learn this fact of life. Because even if I leave, there is always someone to fill in the hole.”

2. Leaving is no doubt very painful in my mind. It involves sacrificing the old and boldly facing up to the new. As creatures of habit, leaving comfortably defined boundaries or circumstances can be especially heart wrenching. For example, when I moved to Minnesota in the fourth grade, I was devastated. But I believe that this is necessary for us to exist. Sure change is hard, and leaving is even harder. But without it, life would become boring, stale, and uninteresting very quickly. We would be condemned to a never-ending loop of monotony and boredom. Furthermore, sometimes leaving is actually beneficial for us. Looking back, living here has given me far more opportunities and happiness than back in my former hometown. Some kinds of change, especially leaving, are very hard to overcome. But all change should be warmly embraced, because that is what allows life to be spontaneous, fun, and pleasurable.