Julie's Essay

Julie Philippe
Mr. Hamilton Salsich
English 9
6 May 2009

Letting Go:
An Essay on Parting and the Importance of “Goodbye”

Not only is it painful to let go of someone, but it is painful to live with tears of regrets that can never go away. Both John Grogan and Naomi Shihab Nye speak of the devastating impacts of an improper and meaningless goodbye. Emily Dickinson speaks of the importance of leaving earth on a positive note, as to end up in the placid cotton clouds of heaven. Goodbye may seem like a pointless word to say, yet it is still the most powerful step of parting.

TS Separation plays an important role in Emily Dickinson’s “My life closed twice”, as she emphasizes the idea that death is not only “hopeless to conceive”, but also a dignified way of saying goodbye. SD Perhaps, the way someone leaves this world is the way that life really “close[s]”. CM If a man dies with regrets, a broken heart, and tears rolling down his face, then heaven might not follow him. CM If a man dies with hope, a blanket to cover his empty soul, but most importantly poise (FAST), then the door to heaven will open. SD Ms. Nye speaks of an essential quality that heaven possesses. CM She says that “all we know of heaven” is the ability to detach our hearts from life, and what we have lived. CM The ones that lie in hell are able to let go of life without greatness and self respect. CS Perchance, the ones that are strong enough to accept the “third event” are the only ones to shine a light on darkness and peacefully rest in heaven.

TS Similarly to Emily Dickinson’s poem, Naomi Shihab Nye speaks about the power of the word “adios”. SD Goodbye might be perceived as a simple word with no meaning, no feelings, no emotions, nor fondness (LOOSE SENTENCE). CM However, Ms. Nye argues that this word is not just a word, it is the “silence following [the] sound that “linger[s]” once it has been said. CM After this “good word” has been said, one must listen to the silence of parting and the sound of “departure”. SD Perhaps, life consists of more goodbyes then hellos. CM After one says goodbye to the “things that disappear”, the chance to say hello might not come around again. CM When one says goodbye, they must mean it with all their hearts as if the word goodbye was “strap[ped] to [their] back like wings”. SD Perhaps the real secret to letting go of something we truly care for, is the way we say our goodbyes. CM Ms. Nye believed that parting quickly, with a straightforward heartfelt goodbye was better. CM If one lets things linger like the “damp smell of mold”, the roaring silence of parting and regrets, will take away the true meaning of the word “goodbye”. CS With honesty, love, tears, and acceptance, “goodbye” must be said once to be able to explain itself and bring out the better.

TS The book "Marley and Me" written by John Grogan similarly relates to the two poems, as it expresses the power of the word “Goodbye” and its effects on the people he left behind. SD After years of breaking vases, jumping on visitors, swallowing gold necklaces, and constantly unsteady, the “world’s worst dog”, Marley, passes away (PERIODIC SENTENCE). CM Despite his overexcitement of living, Marley was loved by all and appreciated by most. CM After changing the lives of a family, Marley’s time on earth was over, and his owners were the ones that suffered the most. SD Although Marley died with no regrets, the people he left behind felt as though they had missed the biggest chance of their lives: the chance to say a real “goodbye”. CM Marley had suffered a long and painful death, but he kept on coming back and reassuring his household that goodbye was not yet a word to consider. CM Each time Marley ended up at the hospital, the family had said goodbye, without ever meaning it, hoping that Marley would survive. CM Once Marley had passed away and the chance to say hello again faded, feelings of regret caused more pain for the people Marley had parted from. CS Perhaps, letting go of “what you love best” consists of parting with that hope inside you and letting nature take its course into the peacefulness of heaven.

Perhaps, it is not the place where one ends up after death that matters, but rather, how one lets go of their life. Perhaps it is not death itself that hurts the most, but rather the boisterous (FAST) sound of regrets that never leaves a soul if “adios” is not said nor meant. Perhaps, we need to let go of that hope inside us and say our goodbyes, as to leave no explanation but a white feather of acceptance on a shattered heart. Perhaps, parting has no justification, just “goodbye”.

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Self Assessment:

1.) Some writing issues I am continuing to work on are sentence variation. I usually have much trouble getting my point across, without writing long unnecessary sentences.

2) Some strong points I see in this pice of writing are my use of quotes and identifying the many transitions throughout the essay. I think I did a good job at blending in some quotes.

3) Some weak points I see in this essay are the unecessary words. It usually worsens my writing and perhaps, that plays in to sentence variation as well.

4) The grade I would give myself: A-