Goodbye can feel so final, like the end of a good book or the terminus for the train. It’s the last chapter, the last stop. And when the destination for two people differs, it could be the last time you see them.
That’s a sad thought. And one that many of us have faced on more than one occasion.
But amidst the sadness, it’s important to find reasons to smile. Whether the farewell is forever or just for now, remember the good times. Remember the warmth.
And know that your connection to each other will never really be lost.
Why Are Goodbyes So Hard?
Our journeys are all unique. Some people will be there from the beginning. And others will join the path along the way.
Some will be there to guide you, and others, to break your fall. There will be good days, great days, and years of happiness.
And there will be times of sadness, of lost hope, and goodbyes.
These are the moments we all try to hide from. We’d rather not face the heartache of saying farewell. Or feel the emptiness that’s left behind.
But the reality is, we must. Not everyone can stay in our lives forever. From our mentors and friends; from loved ones and even our pets, goodbye is at times, unavoidable.
Our paths will all differ. But what makes them truly special is the time we spend together, even if it may be limited. It’s during these moments that we have the opportunity to create the most beautiful memories. And take meaningful footsteps, hand in hand.
Yes, goodbyes are hard. But think back to when you laughed at each other until your bellies ached. Remember the places you’ve seen standing side by side. And the conversations you’ve shared over everything and nothing.
Allow the sadness to be eased by clutching onto that lifetime of smiles. Those smiles, those incredible adventures shared with the people you care about, will fill your heart and make it even more whole.
Remember, ‘Goodbye’ may be a fork in the path; a crossroad that leads you in separate directions. But it can’t take away the memories you create along the way.
So let's cherish and appreciate the here and now. Because it’s with these precious moments that our entangled lives live on together.
Now, let’s take a look at these goodbye quotes.
75 Goodbye Quotes to Say Farewell to Someone
- “Yesterday brought the beginning, tomorrow brings the end, though somewhere in the middle we became the best of friends.” – Unknown
- “You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing.” – E.B. White
- “Saying goodbye doesn’t mean anything. It’s the time we spent together that matters, not how we left it.” – Trey Parker
- “We’ll meet again, Don’t know where, don’t know when, But I know we’ll meet again, Some sunny day.” – Vera Lynn
- “I will always cherish all those moments we spent together, all those laughter we shared, all those stories we told. Farewell, my friend!” – Unknown
- “You can kiss your family and friends goodbye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.” – Frederick Buechner
You can kiss your family and friends goodbye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.” – Frederick Buechner
- “Goodbyes make you think. They make you realize what you’ve had, what you’ve lost, and what you’ve taken for granted.” – Ritu Ghatourey
- “Sunsets are proof that endings can be beautiful.” – Buddha
- “There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “Our memories of yesterday will last a lifetime. We’ll take the best, forget the rest, and someday will find that these are the best of times.” – Styx
- “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” – Semisonic
- “I have to say goodbye to you now but always keep in mind that we will meet again soon. You will always be in my heart!” – Unknown
- “You may not always end up where you thought you were going. But you will always end up where you are meant to be.” – Unknown
- “I thank you for your part in my journey.” – Unknown
- “You and I will meet again, When we’re least expecting it, One day in some far off place, I will recognize your face, I won’t say goodbye my friend, For you and I will meet again.” – Tom Petty
- “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” – Helen Keller
- “Good friends never say goodbye. They simply say ‘See you soon.’” – Unknown
- “It’s sad, but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life, starts with goodbye.” – Carrie Underwood
- “Adios, friend! We may not meet every day, but you will always be in my thoughts!” – Unknown
- “It feels right. But it’s emotional. Saying goodbye to anything you’ve done that long is hard.” – Angela Ruggiero
- “I have learned along my journey that letting go doesn’t mean loving less.” – Alex Elle
- “Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.” – Richard Bach
Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.” – Richard Bach
- “We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere.” – Tim McGraw
- “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” – A.A. Milne
- “Goodbyes are not forever, are not the end; it simply means I’ll miss you until we meet again.” – Unknown
- “Saying goodbye is the hardest solution of any problem. But sometimes it’s the only choice we have…” – Anurag Prakash Ray
- “Saying goodbye feels hard, for sure, but I am confident that it is a door through which we walk to bring us to another good chapter in our story together.” – Claudia Quigg
- “Our friendship has taken me on a magical journey which will never come to an end. Even though you are going away, we will never stop being friends. Goodbye.” – Unknown
- “We laughed until we had to cry, we loved right down to our last goodbye, we were the best.” – St. Elmo’s Fire
- “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss
- “At some point, you have to realize that some people can stay in your heart but not in your life.” – Unknown
- “It always is harder to be left behind than to be the one to go…” – Bodie Thoene
- “So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.” – Helen Keller
- “It’s time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I’d much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure.” – Ernie Harwell
- “Even if we can’t be together in the end, I’m glad that you were a part of my life.” – Unknown
- “I will force myself to say the word goodbye, but my heart will never mean it. Goodbye.” – Unknown
- “I can’t remember all the times I told myself to hold on to these moments as they pass.” – Counting Crows
- “Why can’t we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn’t work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say goodbye. I hate goodbyes. I know what I need. I need more hellos.” – Charles M. Schultz
Why can’t we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn’t work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say goodbye. I hate goodbyes. I know what I need. I need more hellos.” – Charles M. Schultz
- “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is even if we are apart, I’ll always be with you.” – A. A. Milne
- “Life is a journey that lets you befriend many people on your way. But only a few are capable of staying in your heart forever. Goodbye my friend!” – Unknown
- “The two hardest things to say in life is hello for the first time and goodbye for the last.” – Moira Rogers
- “For Sayonara, literally translated, ‘Since it must be so,' of all the goodbyes I have heard is the most beautiful.” – Anne Morrow Lindbergh
- “It’s hard to accept that the crossroads of destiny is making us part. I will miss you! Take care.” – Unknown
- “Remember me and smile, for it's better to forget than to remember me and cry.” – Dr. Seuss
- “It's so hard saying goodbye… it's hard saying good bye to all the things that one has held dear for weeks, months, sometimes years.” – Saqib Saleem
- “It’s not the days in life we remember, rather the moments.” – Walt Disney
- “Sadly enough, the most painful goodbyes are the ones that are left unsaid and never explained.” – Jonathan Harnisch
- “The only reason I am happy saying goodbye is that I know that life will find a way to bring us back together again. Farewell.” – Unknown
- “The last thing I say on most phone calls is not, ‘Goodbye,' but, ‘Thank you.'” – Marshall Goldsmith
- “You never really leave the place you love. You take part of it with you and leave part of you there.” – Unknown
- “Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.” – William Shakespeare
- “May we meet again on distant shores.” – Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
- “Man’s feelings are always purest and most glowing in the hour of meeting and of farewell.” – Jean Paul Richter
- “Anyone with a heart, with a family, has experienced loss. No one escapes unscathed. Every story of separation is different, but I think we all understand that basic, wrenching emotion that comes from saying goodbye, not knowing if we'll see that person again – or perhaps knowing that we won't.” – Luanne Rice
Anyone with a heart, with a family, has experienced loss. No one escapes unscathed. Every story of separation is different, but I think we all understand that basic, wrenching emotion that comes from saying goodbye, not knowing if we'll see that person again – or perhaps knowing that we won't.” – Luanne Rice
- “I think that you're supposed to know when it's time to say goodbye.” – Judy Sheindlin
- “Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.” – Flavia Weedn
- “You’ve changed me forever. And I’ll never forget you.” – Kiera Cass
- “Goodbye may seem forever. Farewell is like the end, but in my heart is the memory and there you will always be.” – Disney
- “Thank you for listening. Thank you for abiding me. And now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, I bid you goodbye and take my leave.” – Frank Deford
- “Sometimes you have to say goodbye to the things you know and hello to the things you don't.” – Steve McQueen
- “Remember me and smile, for it’s better to forget than to remember me and cry.” – Dr. Suess
- “It takes a minute to say hello and forever to say goodbye.” – Unknown
- “No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other’s worth.” – Robert Southey
- “If you are brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” – Paulo Coelho
- “If you never stop when you wave goodbye you just might find, if you give it time, you will wave hello again.” – John Mayer
- “This is not a goodbye, my darling, this is a thank you.” – Nicholas Sparks
- “Could we see when and where we are to meet again, we would be more tender when we bid our friends goodbye.” – Ouida
- “The easiest way to find out how you feel about someone. Say goodbye.” – Phil Knight
- “With every goodbye comes a new beginning and we can look forward to the possibilities that lie ahead. When we part ways, we can take comfort in knowing that life was good.” – Rolf van der Wind
With every goodbye comes a new beginning and we can look forward to the possibilities that lie ahead. When we part ways, we can take comfort in knowing that life was good.” – Rolf van der Wind
- “Farewell has a sweet sound of reluctance. Goodbye is short and final, a word with teeth sharp to bite through the string that ties past to the future.” – John Steinbeck
- “True friends don’t say good-bye, they just take extended leaves of absences from each other.” – Unknown
- “So long, see you around, but never a final goodbye.” – Fred Flagler
- “There was something unfinished about not saying farewell, like a door left open in the chill night.” – Julie C. Dao
- “There should have been a better farewell. But in the end, there never is. And we take what meager scraps we can find.” – Richard K. Morgan
- “Goodbye is the hardest thing to say to someone who means the world to you, especially when goodbye isn’t what you want.” – Unknown
Final Thoughts on Saying Farewell
Goodbye may be the end of the chapter, but the story will go on. The memories created will find a special place in your heart. And the footsteps you took together will always be visible.
Allow yourself to be sad. But know that this is only possible because the trip was so incredible.
And it will continue to be incredible as you take on the next part of your journey.
For more inspirational quotes, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 85 Empowering Divorce Quotes About the End of a Marriage
- 121 Smile Quotes to Make Your Day a Little Happier
- 79 Powerful Compassion Quotes About Showing Empathy
Finally, if you want to use these quotes to make a lasting change to your life, then check out and recite these 57 affirmations for success.
