some thoughts

i was thinking today how every relationship ebbs and flows. we lose touch of people who were once very important to us, and they in effect become complete strangers. at the same time, people who were once complete strangers become soulmates and lifelong friends. at what point does a relationship go from a waning friendship to total strangers? when do new acquaintances become good friends, and when do good friends become boyfriends or girlfriends, soulmates and soul sisters?

i've been feeling really guilty lately about my inability to spend time with people who were once really good friends. circumstances take lives in different directions, and for whatever reason, urgent little things and obligations have taken priority over nurturing friendships that mean much more in the grander scheme of things. i even experienced this when i first moved off campus and began living on my own. after a while, those friendships that only existed our of accessibility and proximity fell away, while friendships that had more solid foundations became more obvious. i used to think there was something inauthentic about the former type, that only true relationships are ones that can survive the test of time and distance. but what i have learned more recently is that those relationships that existed during a specific time and in a specific context are not any less or inferior, because the commonality that birthed and held those friendships together were just as real.

i'm struggling now with the future prospect of best friends moving away, fully knowing the loss that such life transitions bring. but just as our lives ebb and flow, and go through seasons, i believe that the people who surround us in those transitions are not there by accident - they are divinely ordained to be there during a specific time and for a specific purpose. but at the end of the day, i am still a big believer that time is the greatest expression of love. what you choose to spend your time on, who you choose to spend your time with speaks volumes about the things you care for and love. people will always make time for the things they want to do and the people they care about, regardless of the distance and obstacles that may be in the way.