The Other Side of Moving

I'm used to being the one who leaves. The one who packs all her things and carts them to another town, another state, another apartment until something more permanent can be found. The one who gives hugs and says she'll keep in touch.
I'm not used to being the one who gets left behind.

This summer marks our fourth year of living here in middle Tennessee. In two more years, I'll have lived here as long as I've lived anywhere, and I plan to break the record.
When we settled in this area, we made the decision that this was it. We were putting down roots and staying, letting our kids grow up in one place, making friends that would last a lifetime, you get the idea. And we have.
Some of our best friends, however, are about to move to Arkansas. My daughter has been best friends with their daughter pretty much from day one of visiting church services where we attend. And my husband and I are super close to the adults in the family, too. Best friends, if adults are allowed to still have those. My son also is close to their younger daughter. And we all fawn over their two-year-old son.
But the dad finished his doctorate and got a job in Arkansas, so that's where they need to be. And I can't fault them for it. How many times have we moved because my husband got a job in another state?
I think I'm finding it harder, though, to have them move away from here than I would if I were the one moving. Maybe because when we settled on joining this church family, they were one of the big reasons. Maybe because there hasn't been a time since moving here that we didn't have them as friends. Maybe because she's a writing sister of mine now, too, and I love being able to bounce ideas back and forth.
Who knows? But they're definitely taking a piece of our hearts with them.
And it's not like we won't see them again. They're moving to the same area my father-in-law lives, so we can try to coordinate visits. And we'll keep up online and through letters. It's just not the same.
Every time we move ... or having friends move away from us ... it makes me yearn for Heaven just a bit more. Because in Heaven, we won't have to be apart from loved ones anymore. We'll all be there together, with the one who's promised no more tears.
Until then, we'll keep up with loved ones scattered everywhere the best we can.
Have you moved and had to leave someone behind? Or had someone leave you behind? Did you find one harder than another? How did you stay close while far away?