A String of Goodbyes

As we get down to the final days of living in Wrangell (we have less than four left), when Scott and I say good-bye to people, we’re really saying good-bye, perhaps forever. I never want to believe it’s for forever. To some people, I’d rather say, 'see you soon,' which I think can apply to friends. We all like to think we’ll see friends again, and if enough efforts put in, we likely will.

But there are those in the community for whom saying goodbye means goodbye. They are many and they are who have made up Wrangell for me. I’ve always appreciated what Wrangell’s had to offer in terms of natural beauty and wonderment, but Wrangell’s number one appeal to me has always been the community – the wonderful array of faces who smile when I say hi, the conversations that go beyond small talk making it impossible to run a 'quick' errand, and all the tiny gestures that have made living here the best four years. When I say good-bye to these people, I can pinpoint moments and memories that will remain with me forever.

As I said goodbye to Ottie at Scott’s Fish and Game farewell party, I thought about how he’ll always remained etched in my memory as the first person to welcome me to Wrangell. On my first flight to Alaska from Seattle in November 2005, Ottie was on my flight and overheard me tell the flight attendant that I was moving to Wrangell to write for the paper. Ottie came over to me, stuck out his hand, and said, "Let me be the first person to officially welcome you to Wrangell." I’ve thought about that moment almost every time I’ve talked to Ottie since and the warmth and friendliness from our first meeting always comes back.

And as we start saying goodbye to friends, true friends, the shared memories are countless and a whole slew of them come flooding back in that instant. There’s a whole history, a string of memories, and an infinite amount of laughs. Saying goodbye to a friend and hugging them tight is paying homage to the time well spent.