Mikki Chan

Bucket List Ticked Off!

Thank you Ms. Polly Pascua Buted 🫶

Hello, Love, Goodbye, Repeat 🫶❤️

A few days ago, my daughter’s “MU” asked for my permission to make their relationship official. With tears in my eyes, I said yes, offering my blessings along with gentle reminders about priorities and boundaries. It was a moment of profound inner conflict—one part of me was deeply touched by their respect in seeking my approval, while another part ached with an indescribable sadness. The little girl I brought into this world and raised on my own is now beginning to write her own story, a chapter that may become the closest and most meaningful relationship she’ll have since the day she was born.

I often used to quote Kahlil Gibran's words from *The Prophet*: “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.” I never truly grasped the depth of those words until now.

You see, life is a constant cycle of hellos and goodbyes. One day, we say hello to a new job, a new friendship, a new love. Years later, we might have to let go and bid farewell to what once felt essential to our lives. Sometimes, it’s a sweet goodbye; other times, a painful letting go.

Every day, we discover new facets of ourselves, welcoming newfound strength, wisdom, or passion. And perhaps each day, we also say goodbye to parts of ourselves that no longer serve us—old fears, self-doubt, or anger. These are the hardest goodbyes, the ones that demand courage and resilience. But they’re also the most necessary, because only by letting go of what weighs us down can we make room for the peace and joy we deserve.

Some goodbyes are bittersweet, others heart-wrenching. Some leave us with a longing that never truly fades. And no matter how much time passes, the ache remains. We learn to live with it, to carry it quietly in our hearts. And then there are those goodbyes—like the loss of a loved one—that we don’t choose. We hold on because to let go would feel like erasing them, like letting go of the last tangible piece of someone we cherished deeply.

And to you who can resonate to what I shared here, I pray that you find the strength to let go when you must and the courage to embrace what comes next. Because sometimes, the hardest goodbyes open doors to the most beautiful and unexpected hellos.

You are not alone on this journey. God is always supporting you. Always guiding you towards your highest good.

Even in the moments that you feel so alone and lost, God is there working behind the scenes- setting things up for you.

So, as you start your day, open yourself up to trust 🫶🙏