I've had a really good last couple of days. Most of my friends from high school are now back home for winter break and it has been great to see them after time apart.
Two nights ago I got together with one of my closest girlfriends from high school. She's one of those people I can be completely genuine with- we can talk about anything.
And isn't that just the best feeling?
Anyway, we had a really fun night of ice-cream-for-dinner and meeting up with a few other friends. Eventually, the whole group was talking and laughing and it felt just like we were back in 12th grade again, but somehow better. That's when I realized that these people were my true friends.
Despite falling in and out of touch over the last year or so, my friends and I always somehow end up together like nothing has changed even though in some ways, everything has. I deeply value that my closest friends and I can just pick up our friendship right where we left off, even if we haven't talked in weeks. We feel comfortable talking about the "big stuff"- challenges, successes, the future- even if we haven't kept up with what we all do every day.
Coming home from college for the first time last fall was a little strange in terms of friendships. All of a sudden I felt like my pool of friends had shrunk and that those people I had been casual friends with were more like strangers I could no longer call. However, now I realize that college is an important test of the friendships I made while living at home.
Over the last year, I learned a really important lesson:
I will not keep all of the friends I make. In fact, I won't want to.
We all keep a few friends from every phase in our life. These are our true friends. No amount of time or distance will crack the solid foundation these friendships were built on. In fact, it will only make them stronger. And while we grow independently, when we share our growth with our friends, our friendship grows too.
So, here's to true friends, the people who made us who we are!
xoxo