Safe To Be, Safe to Grow:: Intentionality

Whenever I say goodbye I usually have some idea of what kind of goodbye it is. 

There's generally a couple of different options. 

1) The See You Later - This is the goodbye that doesn't linger because there is a certainty that you will see each other again. When I leave the house in the morning I turn 3 words into one. "Loveyoubye". It's usually delivered in the midst of movement towards the door because I'm certain a few hours is all that separates us. 

2) The See You Soon-ish - This is the least certain of all the goodbyes because its not backed with a reconnection date or time. You don't have anything in either of your schedules that means that you'll definitely see each other soon, but history dictates that it won't be years until you see each other again. This goodbye usually ends with a promise to not let so much time pass until you see each other again. 

3) The See You Never - This is the goodbye that feels most urgent and intense. It can either be that you really don't know if you'll ever see this person again or it's the absence that you will feel most acutely. These goodbyes are both hard to start and finish. There may be tears, there may be uncomfortable joking to ease the tension. This goodbye feels most like a loss. 

One of the saddest moments for me is when I look back at a mis-applied goodbye. When I moved too quickly or lingered too long on a goodbye. It's a missed opportunity to honor the relationship with the intention that it is due. 

This week at Cascade we're going to be looking at how our 5 Core Values inform our vision of being Safe to Be, Safe to Grow. The first value is Intentionality:: We engage in relationships a step beyond what is known or comfortable.