Hello, Goodbye

I have always wanted to see a sea horse in the wild. I got lost on my bike ride yesterday along the ocean bikepaths, and chanced upon this sea horse in the picture below. Close enough! He lives on the edge of the sea, and he is a horse. It was a fantastic cap on a wonderful day. I kayaked with the dolphins one last time, and one finally let me get a decent video of him. This is the first time I have added a video to my blog so I hope you can see the dolphin when he surfaced. He swam with me for about ten minutes, leading the way back to the dock. After my kayak fun, the hubby and daughter and I went for a brief visit to Savannah. It was beastly hot, so not as charming as it might have been, but we did get first-class ice-cream there.

But alas, all good things must come to an end. My week at the beach ends today. We pack up and head home to our dogs. We say goodbye to the dolphins, the sharks, the sea urchins, the macaws, and the sea horses. We kiss kayaking, and long bike-rides on the beach, and bobbing in the waves adieu. We say hello to responsibility, and bills, and dirty laundry.

Our last dinner is a Hilton Head tradition for us. Every year, on our last night on Hilton Head, we watch a Beatles tribute band at a fun little restaurant near our condo. The Beatles have such a unique way of capturing the human condition, the source of our angst. While I am very sad to be saying goodbye to the beach, I miss my dogs, my recliner, and my fellow counselors at the sidewalks of the abortion mill. Vacation is wonderful, but it would be meaningless without the balance of work. This is true of the spiritual realm as well. How wondrous it would be to have no more struggle, no more pain! To say Hello to God and never have to wonder again, never have to say Goodbye to anyone or anything again. To say Hello to eternal bliss and Goodbye to suffering.

But He has a different plan. We are here for a purpose, and sadly, that purpose right now entails not only Hellos, but also Goodbyes.

Goodbye Hilton Head.

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"Hello, Goodbye" by the Beatles

You say yes, I say no
You say stop and I say go go go, oh no
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello

I say high, you say low
You say why and I say I don't know, oh no
You say goodbye and I say hello
(Hello goodbye hello goodbye) Hello hello
(Hello goodbye) I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
(Hello goodbye hello goodbye) Hello hello
(Hello goodbye) I don't know why you say goodbye
(Hello goodbye) I say hello/goodbye

Why why why why why why do you say goodbye goodbye, oh no?

You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello


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Genesis 24:56

⁵⁶ But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.”

Philippians 1:22-2

²² If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,