Why I don’t say “Goodbye”

Now the title gives away what I will be talking about today, but I should probably clarify a little. I won’t just leave without saying something… most of the time; I won’t just leave the conversation without some sense of ending. I will use other “parting remarks”, “exit greetings” or whatever else you want to call conversation enders like bye, later, see you, next time, or anything like it just not “Goodbye” itself, that I just absolutely abhor using. But I will use it, when I think it’s appropriate, “Goodbye” is not one of those few words that rarely ever pass my lips.

Now my reluctance to say “goodbye” has nothing to do with its’ origin being “God be with you” and my religious beliefs though someone else probably could and possibly has made that argument. But for the past long while “Good-bye” has just has this air of both formality and finality to it. Now in saying that, Farewell has also has the same feeling except in different degrees. Let me try to explain this a little better. With an example, it might be easier, this might not be a pleasant example but here it goes. So farewells, they are what you say at a funeral. They are the last Good-bye. Now Good-byes are what you would say in the hospital, because with Good-bye there is always the possibility of coming back from that. “Good-bye” is not necessarily forever, but it could be. From my experience, saying something has ended does not necessarily mean that it has, the saying that “it’s not over until it’s over” is so very true, but also not always. And I don’t think there is a single word that can really ever end something, but as words are what we use, the proper use of them is something that I highly seek.

With English being such a wide and varied language it is certainly possible for words to have more specific meanings than they currently have.

Post Script: Getting back on a regular posting schedule has become more difficult than I thought. Also this isn’t definitive; I still use “Goodbye” when it’s not forever, or formal. Sometimes it just feels right.