So long, farewell, to you, my friends
look at God.
So long, farewell, to you my friends
Goodbye, for now, until we meet again
Goodbye, for now, until we meet again.
- Out of the Box’s Goodbye Song
Well, I have been meaning to write and post this for a while, but the last month has been quite a whirlwind. Safe to say that I am now in London! And with this new beginning, came a bittersweet end so this short post is dedicated to the goodbyes.
Before I left for London, I knew I wanted to make time to see my family and friends in New York City, particularly the Bronx where I was born and raised. It was a blessing to really have a village around me growing up. Whether biologically or not, I had a ton of cousins, aunties, uncles, mothers, fathers, grandmas, grandpas, and elders that helped nurture and shape me. And they still shower me with so much love every day.
Unfortunately with the pandemic still going and numbers rising towards the end of the summer, I had to still take extra precautions and be mindful about who I saw, when I saw them, and how close in time I was seeing them to when I saw someone else. I was testing weekly at that point too, but you truly never know how this is spreading and since I knew I’d be seeing elders and babies, I couldn’t take any big risks. Plus, the big hurricane rainstorm came in through NYC so it was quite a time. I’m grateful to have stayed safe, in all the ways.
Thankfully, I did get to at least see some family and take safety precautions throughout. It was so comforting to be in the same space as folks that I haven’t seen in over a year, but have known me my whole life. I had a sleepover with my best friends. I got to see new babies. I got to catch up and laugh. I got to receive love and encouragement for my next journey. I also said goodbye to places and things that meant a lot to me.
To those I got to see and those that I didn’t, thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve given me, seen and unseen. Thank you for always welcoming me in and home. Thank you for being a part of my village. There was something particularly sweet about being back in NYC — the place I started — right before I embarked on this whole new journey. It was a reminder that no matter where life takes me, I will always have a home here in the city and in my people.
On Sunday, September 12th, I arrived to JFK Airport, gave hugs and kisses to my aunts and little cousins (although partly asleep), made my way to the check-in, and soon after, I was seated on my overnight flight.
As we were taking off, I looked out the window to see the city lights and all I could think about was:
Goodbye, for now. Until we meet again.
Next stop: London.
Renée ♥️
