Interesting take, Laura. My view is that Fern refuses to change, although I guess we'd have to say that she *does* finally say goodbye to Beau. Perhaps that last image is of her finally heading off on her OWN journey, as opposed to trying to avoid cutting ties to her past.

Your take is interesting because it gives the ending more of a positive spin. Bob says, "We don't ever say goodbye because we'll always see each other down the road" (paraphrase). Maybe that last image is of her embracing that, she's come to see the nomad life as more than just surviving and trying to escape dealing with her grief over the loss of Beau and their life together. I can see that.

Thanks, Laura. You've got my mind churning...