A friend of mine hates goodbyes. She couldn’t face her grandmother in her final days, and slips away from parties (doing this has a name – it’s called an Irish exit or a French exit). She’s not alone in her aversion – how many of us are guilty of evading farewells? For some, it’s because they are awkward or emotionally charged. For others, they remind us of someone or something that left unexpectedly. Saying goodbye means accepting we may forget, or be forgotten, it means letting go. As a result, it’s synonymous with loss or vulnerability.
‘A goodbye is tough, but it’s a moment of tenderness’
‘Goodbyes are moments of shared emotion,’ says psychotherapist Jordan Vyas-Lee, co-founder of mental healthcare clinic Kove. ‘Our
