How Good Are Your Goodbyes?

a wave goodbye

a wave goodbye

Earlier this week, I learned that a favorite blog of mine, teamgloria, will be retired, so to speak.

In this “goodbye, gloria” post, the blog’s author and digital marketing phenom, Sophia Stuart, explains how she has decided to move on to the next chapter of her life — a chapter that cannot, to the disappointment of teamgloria fans like me, include future teamgloria posts.

Stuart’s announcement of the blog’s conclusion reminded me of the many crossroads that we all face in life — the countless times that we make starts and stops, and then changes in direction, as we write out the truth of our lives.

What about you? How have you handled your farewells so far? Do you find it easier to let go and walk on toward new horizons, or do transitions make you afraid and hesitant?

American songwriter Paul Simon once wrote that there are “50 ways to leave your lover.” The song’s title has always made me chuckle, but, the truth that lies behind the jest is the fact that there actually are at least 50 ways that one could leave a lover, a friend, a family member, a pet, a job or a career.

Often, though, individuals feel trapped by circumstance and view their available departure options as limited, when considering making exits of significance in their lifetimes.

Frankly speaking, goodbyes have never really been my cup of tea. I’m much more of a hello person.

But, let’s get back to you. How do you handle farewells, and how much good have you found in your goodbyes?

Reaching Inspired Locations

Map with Pins

Find Your Inspired Locations

From Google Earth to the FourSquare location-based networking site, there are numerous examples today to point to our continued fascination with physical locations.

What are the qualities that make a particular place special — the people, the food, the geography, the culture, or some combination thereof?

Without doubt, locations can fascinate and inspire.

I recall reading an interesting TOWN & COUNTRY article years ago that examined the city-inspired lyrics and titles of many popular songs written by some of the world’s most famous musicians.

Rough Guides recently posted a list of the Top Five Places Mentioned in Famous Songs.  And, here’s a recent Sidetracked blog post that highlights top songs written about the state of California.

As the Los Angeles-based Red Hot Chili Peppers sang in Aeroplane, music in general can be “an aero plane” that elevates listeners to another world.  When a specific city or place is called out in song lyrics, the “getaway factor” of the song can rise.

For example, when you hear Paul Simon’s Graceland lyric, “I’m going to Graceland,” where or what do you envision?   Or, when you hear Waylon and Willie sing about, “Luckenbach, Texas,” what is your response?  When Ryan Adams sings about the street La Cienega, does the lyric make you smile?  Every time I hear James Taylor sing “Carolina in My Mind,” I see the streets of Chapel Hill, the location of my college alma mater.

What locations do you think are worthy of commemoration with song?  Which places would make your “Most Inspirational Locales” list?  Give it some thought.  My list would obviously include my SheCave.


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