With The Grace of the Sea

Sweet goodbyes – dan

I’ve never been a good one for goodbyes but with so many significant ones happening almost at once, I feel I’m getting better at it. It started last Thursday with my retirement lunch at work. It was a warm and comforting affair with about 20 of my colleagues and held at one of my favorite Italian restaurants. They’re a great crew, every one a survivor and a performer who has outlasted the many ups and downs in the aero-space-industry, some of whom I’ve known for 25 years or longer. There’s something comforting about the tradition of breaking bread with people that you’ve worked with for so many years as a gesture of parting. I’ve gone to many of these affairs over the years for the people who have retired before me and now it’s my turn. The others at the table know that their time will come and were probably idly thinking about their own retirement dates.

Then on Friday I had the closing of my house and had to say to goodbye to my house and the wonderful lady who did so much to help me sell it, Shari Fichman. Shari was amazing in putting together the deal and went well above-and-beyond; when a tornado hit Wethersfield, Shari stopped by my house to protect it from the torrential rains while Susan and I were on the boat, completely unaware of the disaster that had struck home. After the closing Shari hung outside the lawyers office recounting the highs and lows of the sale and then she presented me with a beautiful coffee table photo book; “Sailing around the world”.

On Sunday we had an open house on Gypsy for the people I work with. About a dozen people stopped by to check out the boat and share nibbles aboard Gypsy and that for me was truly special.

I think we say our best goodbyes in stages, at least I do. A little bit at a time, over time seems the best way to honor and let go of good friends and associates.

65 days...