Leaving isn't easy. Everyone knows that. It's even so uneasy that people have been writing or making movies about it for decencies. I know many people who have had to leave someone they love, I've seen people cry hit and scream because of having to leave.

Yet what I was feeling now, standing in front of the airport check-in was far, far worse than I thought it would be.

She had forced me to let her accompany me to the airport but looking into her big brown eyes that were glowing from tears, I knew that this was the worst feeling I could imagine, worse than anything I had imagined. I met Mona at a an exchange and the months we had spent together had been the most magical of my entire life. They felt like a dream, a dream I didn't want to wake up from. But the time had come, my flight was going to leave in 20 minutes. Yet I couldn't walk away. Not even if I wanted to. We had spent the first few months carefree, like 2 teenagers falling in love without ever worrying about the consequences. Every time someone asked us 'Oh but what will you do when you have to fly home?' we would simply smile and respond with 'Oh but that's still far away' and I continued to fall more and more in love with her every single minute that passed. Now, the airplane was boarding and it was less than a few minutes away. No matter how much we promised to write each other, looking into each other's eyes at this moment, we both knew it was the end. Our love had been like a shooting star, brief and beautiful, magical during the short time that it lasted.

Nothing could compare to what I was feeling at that instant, it was like someone had placed the weight of a mountain on my heart, I couldn't even imagine ever feeling happy again, knowing that she was gone and that she'd probably soon find another man who'd fall under her charms the way I did.

I heard the airport announce my departure, I needed to go, no matter how much my heart was telling me to stay. So, without a touch, without even a kiss goodbye 'Goodbye Mona' I said trying to hold back from embracing her one last time, it would have made it even harder, I picked my bags and walked away. Without looking back. This was now 50 years ago, but I'll never forget, that girl I had met at exchange when I was 17. Young, dumb, broke, but one thing was sure: I have never and will never love anyone the way I loved her. And I've never had a grander regret than not giving her that kiss goodbye.