GOODBYE IS NOT THE END

STC Senior Class 2013

Most people hate goodbyes. For many years, I wondered why. But as I was standing there in the auditorium on our graduation, together with my classmates, I understood why people don’t like to say goodbye.

Many people believe that goodbye means it’s the end. They don’t realize that goodbye actually means there’s another hello. So when I was standing there in the auditorium, as I’ve said before, I didn’t cry because my classmates and I will be going to our separate ways. I know I’d be seeing a lot of them in the coming years since the dawn of social media mean they’re only a click or text away. I cried because the idea of not being their classmate anymore hurts. Do you get what I mean? I didn't cry because I won't be seeing them physically. It's the fact that I got so used to having them around that's making me sad. I wouldn’t be there to see them get their first boyfriends or their first kisses. I would be missing a lot of stuff that I had no difficulty of missing and occasionally took for granted when I was in school with them.

As we were waiting for our graduation song to start playing, I looked around at the familiar faces I’d be leaving for real in less than 48 hours, since we still had our Graduation Ball the next night. I looked at each face and remembered my fondest memories with them. The usual happy faces of my classmates were replaced with puffy eyes, red noses and occasional snot dripping down from their noses. Ew. Hahaha. I was surely going to miss them.

When the song finally started, we stood back straight and started singing the first lines. “The world may seem so big, a scary place to be…” I started to sing the lines, but no words came out. Instead, a sob came. “Everything’s just out of reach, impossible to achieve,” my classmates continued singing. I tried to sing again, but I still couldn’t do it. I just let the tears fall and watched the AVP our teachers made. It only made me sob harder, so my friend offered me her hanky. “Life goes on and seasons change, but the sky is high and the walk is wide.” I took it and finally got a grip of myself.

“Soon this chapter will come to an end, but another one will begin.” I looked up and was like, “Yeah, why am I crying? I should be happy that I’ve already graduated. I’ve waited so long for this.” “Save the tears and save the farewells, save it for a time when our hearts don’t swell.” This was where I realized that even if I was leaving these people and go on with my life, I know I could still count on them. The memories we shared will surely stay with me even if I go on with my life and make more unforgettable ones with my new friends. “Soon this chapter will come to an end, but goodbye… goodbye is not the end.” So I smiled.

You can watch our Graduation Song below. 

The song is entitled Goodbye is not the End.

It's an original, by the way. :)

(c) Nico Roble