Taken from the Ordination of Serenity
Everyone seems to be excited to start a new beginning. I am looking forward to my job as an Ordained Minister in this Temple. We all love stories about how people start over again. There are endless quotes and inspirational stories that demonstrate that we, as humans, love a new beginning. We love to romanticize the beginning.
The end of a chapter, however, is very difficult for us to deal with. In order to embark on any new adventure, we first need to say a proper goodbye to the chapter we are currently in. In embarking on my journey as a Reverend here I need to let go of the old me and start work on being the new me that will make sure I am up to the task that you all so graciously blessed me with today and earn your trust. I need to let go of old hurt, resentment and start a fresh new chapter of my life in the Temple. Luckily for me (and you) I already started that process when I came back to Totjo in 2020. I wrote, processed, talked, contemplated, traveled to make sure that as little as possible was in my way to settle in again, realizing that with every Goodbye, there is a new Hello.
Saying goodbye provides a sense of closure, allowing us to acknowledge the reality of a situation. Whether it's a loved one moving away, a relationship ending, or the passing of someone dear, saying goodbye enables us to come to terms with the change and accept the new circumstances. Our brothers and sisters who are trapped in the horrible weather conditions in the USA and other parts of the world know all about that. And so do i as i lost someone very close to me recently.
The word Goodbye is a contraction of the phrase “God be with ye.” In ye olden days, people didn't have the means of communication we do today, and they often didn't know when or if they would see that person again when they parted. So, they issued a sincere send-off, asking God to be with them until they met again. As Jedi we talk about the Force a lot, and tell people "May the Force be with you" as a goodbye and blessing. Focus on why they matter so that you can move on with the next part of your life. Goodbyes help us self-reflect, provide closure, help us show gratitude, and respect time, and help us handle our emotions in a better way.
There are so many reasons why goodbyes are important. But for me the most important part is that we learned from our goodbyes enough that we are a better person after it. So as i say Hello to you as a new Reverend here, I say Goodbye to the chapter of my life before this, and ..
May the Force be with you all, always!!
