Friendships

Friendships are one of the sweetest blessings of life.

I am very good at loving from afar. I have a tough time really showing how much I really care for my friends sometimes. I didn't used to, though. College definitely changed the way I treat my friends. Before that, I believed in and trusted every friend I had. I had wonderful friends while I was away at school, but a few let me down, lied to me, and used me. Those few will always stick with me as lessons in disguise. Besides being hurt, I learned to not trust everyone and to stop expecting every person to be a good one.

Now, I am much more careful about who I allow in my life. I meet new people, and I don't cling onto them as though we will be forever friends. I choose wisely. And I think that's a part of growing up. You want friends around you that build you, not break you, that uplift you, not drag you down, that are kind and honest, not two-faced and deceitful.

But then what do you do with friends you have known your whole life? The friends that were there for your first kiss, the first time you were grounded, the first everything. Some of these can be the greatest forever friends! But some may not have turned out how you had hoped. I am learning that in your mid 20's, you start to see your friends establish themselves. They may not be living down the street anymore, or share the same interests and morals as you. That initial bond diminishes between a few of you. But then there are those friendships that have never changed, no matter where you are on the map or how different your interests are. It's amazing how different people clash and different people are drawn to each other.

Like I said before, I am very good at loving from afar. In some cases, I need to love from afar, because I see a better friendship in that than staying close. Just like it's natural to fall in love, it's so natural to be drawn to some as your close friends and clash with others.

I fight this all the time because I miss how close I used to be to some. My advice to you and myself is to stop fighting it. Part of growing up is choosing your friends wisely, and it's better to have a few good friends that you enjoy spending time with than friends you have to make yourself spend time with. It's natural. Let it be.

Cherish your friendships whether they are close or afar. Enjoy some of life's sweetest gifts, and always be kind.