Goodbye to Yesterday

family friends mental health transitions Jun 03, 2023

4 minute read
by Bethany Rees

The English poet and author, Geoffrey Chaucer, gave us the phrase that “All good things must come to an end.”

And so it happens that time marches on, things change, and people move in/out of our lives.

And so I find myself at the end of my Texas road having to say goodbye to yesterday.

Between the writing and publishing of this blog post, my son will have graduated high school and we have moved from Texas to Arkansas.

While my heart is overjoyed at my son’s accomplishments and the opportunity to move back home, it is also overwhelmingly sad at having to say goodbye to my yesterdays in parenting and my yesterdays in Texas.

In the past 15 years I went from parenting a 3 year-old to an 18 year-old. I also went from knowing no one in my new Texas home to having made hundreds of friends and the best FRAMILY (friends that are like family) one could ask for.

So how do you say goodbye to one chapter of your life and prepare for the next?

The reality of transitioning between yesterday and today can be a hard one. It can fill us with sadness and grief. It can fill us with anticipation and excitement.

It doesn’t have to be one or the other…it can fill us with both joy and sadness.

Like in the movie Inside Out, having mixed emotions like sadness and joy is good for our mental health.

Inside Out - Tears of Joy / An Mix Emotion Memory

As I prepare to say goodbye to my yesterdays, I am remembering them with joy but also allowing myself to feel the sadness between the transitions.

Thank you God, for allowing us to be more than one-dimensional with our emotions.

So as you find yourself in a transition between yesterday, today, and tomorrow…allow yourself to feel all the mixed emotions.

Whether it's grief/relief from the loss of a loved one in pain or sadness/joy from a big transition in life... allow yourself to feel all the emotions. Share your feelings with God in prayer and those you love.

It’s ok to say goodbye with a tear and a smile.

Goodbye yesterday! I loved every minute of you!

Know Better. Do Better. Live Better. It’s ok to have mixed emotions.

Rocks before Sand!

Scripture:

“So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”

~John 16:22

Theme Song:

Boyz II Men - It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday (with lyrics)

References Used:

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