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I have many experiences of saying goodbye to my dad and brothers when they were dying. During these difficult times, even when sad emotions stir in your heart, you should put on a peaceful face and allow time to pass. Saying goodbye becomes very serious and hits hard in those moments.

According to stories told by others, it is amazing that there are almost identical responses in what people want to say when they speak for the last time in their life. These are: “I am grateful,” “I apologize,” “Goodbye,” or “I love you.” In our lives, we focus only on our careers and work while we are young. If only the light of life burned out gradually, we would find what our most cherished thing was. Maybe it was a love we didn’t talk to, maybe it was walking a mile filled with regret. Maybe it was a hug between old friends meeting again. Maybe it was a word, a fact. “I had already forgiven you earlier.” “Spending more time waiting for your favorite food was okay.” If you want to go somewhere, book the ticket now and go! You don’t have to wait for special moments to express feelings to those you love. At that moment, you can hug, not only walk hand in hand.

Life is full of uncertainty. You should care for your health when you are healthy. Do the meaningful things you really want to do. Love the people you value. The best method for your life is to own your own life tempo and know how to speed or slow it in your life. Let the people important to you make the locations important. Let the important things happen in those important locations too. Don’t treat yourself unfairly, and don’t treat someone who loves you unfairly either.

I wish for you to love the people around you. Walk on the right path, and enjoy every day, every hour, every minute, and every second. It’s nice to love totally and seriously as you live. Then it’s easier to say goodbye to your life without regret.

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Ting-Chang (Kenny) Hsieh, age 68, is a native of Taiwan whose first language is Mandarin. He arrived in the U.S. in 2006. He studies at the Peninsula branch of the Queens Public Library, where Ebru Yenal is the center manager. Ting-Chang (Kenny) Hsieh was published in LR18. He writes, “Humans are so tiny in the universe. We should comply with nature instead of resisting it and love our Mother Earth totally.”