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Goodbye at the Door.

From time to time, I've wondered how my relationship with my parents — to whom I speak nearly every other day — differs from the relationships they had with their own mothers and fathers when they were my age. It's surprised me that even as I approach 30, I still very much need them — in different ways than I did as a child, but important ones nonetheless. In early adulthood, when everything — work, relationships, friendships, homes — has see-sawed, they (and my entire family) have remained firmly in place. As my dad said to me on the phone the other day, "We're your constants."

I came across Angelo Merendino's photo series Goodbye at the Door a while ago, but came back to it this morning. The images, which show Merendino's parents waving as he comes and goes, illustrate the sweetness, the sadness, and the steadiness of evolving family relationships. He writes: "As long as I can remember, my parents have stood by the door and waved goodbye when I would leave. There was never an 'I'll just let myself out.' It was always, 'We'll walk you to the door.'" 


See more at Angelo Merendino's website, here.

25 comments:

  1. These photos made me teary-eyed.
    His other series have many wonderful images. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Oh my gosh, I love this. My grandparents always stood on their porch and watched our car drive up the hill when we'd leave their house, then we'd look back and wave when we got to the top. My grandpa's poor health doesn't let them do this as often these days, but I'm so tickled at the memory of it. Thank you for sharing.

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  3. This is so great. Like you, I still need my parents. I'll be glad when we're living in the same city again.

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  4. So sweet and so touching. Thanks for sharing this.

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  5. Brianne, I love that.

    Brianna, hopefully soon?

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  6. Gosh these get me a little choked up what a super sweet thing to document, I'm sure it will be even more valuable to him down the years to have those photographs :)

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  7. I love this post. You are so gifted at stirring emotions.

    My parents recently moved to a condo and now, whenever I'm leaving their place, my father comes all the way down in the elevator, through the parking lot and to the car, to see me off. I hadn't really focused on the gesture before, but your post caused me to think about it, and to love him all the more. xo

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  8. My grandmother always walks me to my car when I leave her house! This makes me realize how such a simple gesture is so meaningful.

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  9. My mother's parents still do this, and now my mom does it when I leave as well. It's always nice to be able to look back one more time for a last goodbye.

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  10. So sweet and something I'd never really thought about. Lovely post! :)

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  11. so touching. i love this and those images

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  12. Bringing tears to my eyes, this reminds me of my own family- back in the day when you could walk out to the gate at the airport, our family would put a flat palm against the window of the plane as they pulled away from the terminal and out onto the runway, saying a final goodbye at the end of vacations, or at the start of business trips. I miss those days, but this series touches on that in everyday life. *sniffle* Thank you for sharing!

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  13. this is so sweet! my parents do the same thing, and my grandma used to do that too ;)

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  14. Thank you for this. It has been 3 years since I had to say farewell to the one who waved goodbye. She lived a wonderful and long life....but I miss my Mom to this day.

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  15. i love this ... and the photographs are so raw and emotional. it makes me choke up a bit too, as this is what my grandparents AND parents still do. and to think one day they won't be there to do so ... it's urging me to have my camera for my next visit.

    xo

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  16. So sweet. My grandparents did this for me when they were alive and this post made me miss them/be thankful for their presence in my life.

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  17. This is so beautiful. My mother would always wave at the winder in the morning when I drove to high school and now that I'm in a different country from my parents, I wish I hadn't taken those little things for granted :)

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  18. We always walk our grown children to the front walk and often to the sidewalk in front of where their car is parked. It is where we give our last hug (one before they head out the front door). I would never miss the opportunity to have just a few more moments with them and walking them out gives me that opportunity.

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  19. Just exquisite. Thank you so much for sharing. I've been thinking so much about life from the far side of parenting as my parents begin retirement and my eldest approaches puberty. It's excruciatingly bittersweet, isn't it?

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  20. Gah, I just love this. Made me tear up thinking about all the hellos and byes over the years with my parents.

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  21. Thank you all for such thoughtful comments! It's totally my pleasure to re-post work as beautiful as this — and I love reading your stories about the hellos and goodbyes between families. Thank you all so much for sharing.

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  22. awww so beautiful! look at the love in his parents eyes!!

    sydsense.blogspot.com

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