Goodbye is Just the Beginning

Abstract

Loss is universal. Loss is inevitable. Loss of a parent is an experience we all face. For some of us we face the loss of the people we grew up with. Those who do not grow up with their parents face loss rooted deeply in not knowing. Often it is long after a parent dies that we come to see them for who they are. We see them as people, not parents. Once that happens, so does understanding. However, understanding does not always equate with reconciliation or repair. What follows is a daughter’s letter of gratitude and account of bearing witness to what would become a final goodbye. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)