BY GLORIA O’KOYE
Like eaglets preparing to fly
Outgrowing the nest and its parents,
There is always a time
To say goodbye.
Like bear cubs learning to hunt, fish
Forage and scavenge.
Fending off danger on their own,
There is always a time
To say goodbye.
Like a baby leaving the comfort of the womb,
Praying for a peaceful transition from a child
To adulthood.
To witness the world from different perspectives,
Innocence is not a guarantee with age.
Even with luck
The terrors of the world will soak
And force eyes to open.
No one is safe.
Saying goodbyes to life as we know it,
For the times this world will continue to evolve.
Languages and cultures will continue to fight to exist,
Extinction of ancestral knowledge
Is always around the corner.
Newer generations are passed down the torch
Only they know what they can add and subtract from traditions.
Welcoming and goodbyes to what works in a society
Without destroying generations of knowledge and spiritual wealth.
Saying goodbyes to grief-stricken realities
Relearning to have a childlike faith.
Saying goodbyes to hesitation,
No more being afraid.
Goodbyes and let go
It is not always a bad thing.
