Powerful reminders....

I've said some hard goodbyes during my lifetime - some temporary, some permanent, some expected, some shocking.

No matter how many I have said, they never get easier.

This past week my fiance and I spent a week at Disneyland. We laughed and smiled, rode rides, dressed up in Halloween costumes - basically spent a week enjoying life and forgetting all the to-do's and stresses at home. 

Then, last Saturday, we boarded the shuttle bus to LAX to head home to Reno and the realities of life started to set back in. We spent the ride on the shuttle trying to avoid real life for as long as possible. The return to school, wedding planning, bills, cars - all the daily stresses of life - seemed too much to want to embrace. We wanted to hold tight to a few more minutes of stress free smiles and laughter.

As the shuttle approached the airport terminal it became clear the stresses life would resume faster than we desired and there was no way to run back to our vacation and ignore real life.

The shuttle pulled to a stop at the first terminal - the international terminal at LAX. As fellow passengers began to pack up their belongings to disembark I glanced out the front window of the shuttle bus. A soldier dressed in full camouflage stood by a small SUV. His pulled his backpack and duffle from the trunk and closed the tailgate. He set his duffle on the curb and stepped tenderly towards the woman standing by the SUV. He kissed her forehead and then grabbed her in his arms. They embraced, tenderly, passionately, painfully....

I turned to Nicole and said "That's one of those 'not going to see you for a long time' kind of hugs...."

I thought to myself I wished I had my camera out to capture this beautiful, tender moment.

Then I realized I was glad I didn't because I felt like i'd be invading their lives even more.

I can't imagine what they were thinking, or feeling, at that moment.

It stayed with me as we sat waiting for our plane... to head home... to our daily life... TOGETHER.

As crazy as my life may be and as stressed as I am, I am grateful for every minute of it because you never know what is around the corner. It made me hold Nicoles hand a little tighter... smile a little wider as I watched her sleep on the plane... and kiss her a little sweeter as we said goodnight to each other.

Thank you especially to every man and woman serving on US or foreign soil for allowing me to spend a week in Disneyland with the woman I love. 

To the soldier I saw leaving... thank you for letting me witness your tender, private moment. Come home safe and thank you for reminding me how fortunate I am to have my freedom and those I love around me.

These photographs should remind us all that people have been saying hard goodbyes for many generations.... they will never get easier... they will never cease to be powerful, and painful.

May all goodbyes be followed by a hello....

Penn Station NY - LIFE magazine photograph

Photo found on LIFE magazine.com