Journal #15- Goodbyes

Goodbyes are very hard to say when you know that you will not see someone for a very long time.  This has occurred on a few occasions in my life.  When I moved from Minnesota to Illinois when I was six, I was forced to say goodbye to my friends and extended family.  Saying goodbye to my grandparents who I used to visit at least once a week was the hardest part.  I still greatly miss them, and visiting their farm to help out around the place.  I made many of my best childhood memories at their place, so it was hard to leave them behind.  It has now been ten years since my family moved from Minnesota, but I still love going to visit my grandparents.  We stay in contact by occasionally calling or skyping each other.  Usually once a year my family makes a trip back up their to visit them.  This is normally at Christmas time so that we can see the other members of our extended family also.  Besides these very rare visits, I really do not get to see my grandparents.  This is the same for the other side of my family also.  My mom's parents moved from Minnesota to Missouri around the same time we moved to Illinois.  They are six hours away, so not quite as far as Minnesota.  I still only get to see them a few times a year.  I also have  an aunt and uncle that moved to London, England, and I have not seen them for four years.  The amazing technology of this era has allowed my family to remain in contact with them, but it is just not the same as seeing them face- to -face.  With my nearest extended family six hours away, we have to learn to be thankful for the technology we possess to stay in contact with loved ones. I miss my grandparents and extended family on both sides of my family, but I enjoy the rare chances I get to see them.