A reflection on waiting, departure, and the spaces in between
“When is he going?” — a simple phrase that carries weight far beyond its words. It might be asked with relief, with sorrow, with curiosity, or with dread. This page explores the many meanings behind this timeless question.
At the train station, she stood with her hands in her coat pockets, watching him pace beside the platform clock. Neither spoke. The silence wasn’t awkward—it was full. Full of everything they hadn’t said.
“Sometimes the hardest goodbyes are the ones we rehearse in our heads long before they happen.”
We ask “When is he going?” not just to mark a date on the calendar, but to prepare our hearts. To brace for change. Or perhaps, to hope it never comes.
In literature, film, and real life, this question signals transition— the end of one chapter and the uncertain beginning of another.
How long have you been wondering?