Friends Come, Friends Go

I have a few friends that I have been friends with nearly my whole life.  I have some that I've been friends with for a very short time.  Most of my friends are somewhere in the middle.  It has always interested me, yet saddened me when friends just drift apart.  However, it had never happened to me with any of my really close friends.  That is until somewhat recently.  I had a friend that was as close as a sister. Well, I thought she was.  We both got kind of busy and quit spending so much time together.  That was okay. People do that.  I assumed that we would still be there for each other if we needed to be.  But the dynamics of our relationship have changed.  Somehow, we have become mere acquaintances.  It is very strange for two people who told each other everything to suddenly not know what to say to each other.  Small talk is even awkward.  How does it get to that? From time to time I wonder if I'm the only one that feels weird knowing intimate secrets of someone who has become almost a stranger.

Events can cement things in your mind. Recently her mother had a heart attack.  I found out through the grapevine.  Strange.  The strangest part wasn't that she didn't call me to ask me to pray or anything, but that I wasn't surprised that she didn't call.  I'm not sure when that happened.  You know, losing the expectations of friendship.  I will admit that since this is the first time I've experienced this, I'm not sure I've handled it right.  I'm not sure what handling it right would be.  Others feel awkward around us.  They feel they have to "choose sides," but there are no sides.  There was no fight, no disagreement, no ill feelings....at least that I know of...just a slow drifting apart.

Life is short.  True friends are a precious blessing.  If you want to keep them, don't get too busy for friends.  Spend time with them.  It doesn't have to be huge amounts of time, but enough that you don't slowly lose track of each other.  If they're not true friends, why waste your time when you have real relationships to nurture?  I guess it is all about priorities......