"Be Well"

At times certain phrases or words strike me differently than the potful of typical daily terms. Well, this happened a few years back when a good friend of mine sent an e-mail to me and signed it with the comment "Be Well". I had a perplexed view of this as it was really the first time I had heard the two words used in that way, and for a substantial period of time was chewing on this message and its meaning.

It turns out that I found myself occasionally using this farewell when I was sending out a gag of e-mails to others. The first time I used it, there was nearly a feeling of guilt as the phrase had taken on such a personal meaning from my friend toward me. But push on beyond the moment and eventually it slowly became a staple in my wishes for friends and family; eventually to the point where I used it in a e-mail shared to the same friend who had sent it to me originally.

Over time he and I talked about the words and their diverse interpretation, the intent with which sent, and other typical comments used when corresponding. Quite interestingly we had such a fun spin on discovering the substance of "Be Well" and it's use that our conversation went on at some length. When to use it? To whom to apply it? When it was not appropriate? Is it appreciated by the receiver? What alternatives wait in the wings? These were but a few of the areas we explored. In the end I have found no other words that held such meaning as these, at least nothing so succinct.

The whole idea of taking greetings, farewells and the like at face value is something I have always valued. But, and this is a Big but, a good percentage of the people I have met over my lifetime really don't care to partake of such habits. They simply want to have the words be a nicety or formality of their interactions (I respect this all the same). Over the years differentiating these two has become more evident, when there might be an appreciation for taking the meaning literally or to simply see them as a cap to their actions. Personally, I prefer to have the words carry a little more meaning than their precursor to completing daily interactions. I am in the minority here to be sure.

This particular farewell greeting has yet to loose it's luster for me; although I am still careful and selective when using it. To me it says much more than 'take care', 'bye', 'sincerely', 'love', etc., or no statement at all, prior to my signature. For me when I use or receive "Be Well", I hear it as, "I wish/ hope/ pray for your life to be of such a state that you enjoy yourself and maintain optimal health (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual), in spite of all your life's challenges - both large and small." Quite a mouthful of words in meaning in two simple words.

So to all my friends and family may I say:  Be Well One and All!