The Sad, Happy Ending

Have you ever seen an ending for a film or long-running TV show that was so joyous that it made you a touch sad on the inside? I watch something like Star Wars: Episode 6 - Return of the Jedi, and while I am happy cause everyone survives and they're all reunited to live happily ever after, I just can't help but have this gaping hole left inside.

Is this natural? And what is necessarily missing where this hole is?

I might be a minority here, being overtly sentimental, but whenever I see an ending that I find so happy, that I in fact feel a touch sad, I can't help but think this is the natural course of life. I'll just use Return of the Jedi as the example.

For three films you've grown to love these characters, seen them tackle obstacle after obstacle, and now it all comes to an end. It's kind of like having to say goodbye to friends and family when they have to move on with their lives and leave. Yes, you can still visit them, but it still will never be the same as those times in which you shared before. I believe this to be a natural occurrence amongst all people, and especially when said in regards to a film. Of course, what is making this gaping hole inside of me?

I think the main reason I get sad when I see such happy endings is just simply because, I don't want it to end. I just think of all the adventures, all the great experiences that these characters have yet to go through, but yet you know that this is the right place to end it, so there is nothing to do. It's like high school, you know it has to end someday, and while you never really think about it, the day comes and it finally hits you, that you will never see many of these same people again in the same way that you saw them for those four years.

People change, and times change with it, all we can do is simply roll with the punches and reminisce with the memories of these sad, but happy endings.