land unter

Wenn einem das Wasser bis zum Hals steht, sollte man den Kopf nicht hängen lassen."

[Karl Valentin]

about the importance of saying goodbye

Ever since I first moved away from home I have felt the urge to properly say goodbye to people and not part in anger or resentment. The reason for this was quite plain: some people dear to me were of bad health and risk was that I might not see them again. Starting from this reasoning, I realised that I could not at all take for granted to meet anyone a 'next time'. So saying goodbye and clearing things up became important to me and looking back it seems a good choice.

Why I am writing this now? I arrived in town today after some months of absence and was struck by a headline telling a 16 year old boy had died having a crash with his motorbike. I felt sad about it, but the real pain came when I met one of my friends who told me that she had spoken and laughed with him just yesterday morning, and now couldn't come to terms with the fact that he was found dead the same day.

so really, there is no guarantee..