Time Apart Cannot Diminish True Friendship

There isn't enough time in any given day for me to get to know and appreciate everything about each of my friends' lives. Much as I'd love to say I know most of them 'well', that's a very relative term. What I know well about each of them are the traits and personality that fill a space in my life. Now that I've said it, it doesn't sound right. I'll try to explain it better.

I've had the advantage of time to get to know a few of my friends quite well; nearly as well as I know myself. They fill more than a space, they make up a good portion of my life. Much as I know and can read them with just a look, pick up on an out-of-sorts mood by just hearing one word, and communicate through a string of facial expressions alone there are still many things about them that I don't know.

Our lives rush by during the day-to-day routine, and we sometimes find it difficult to remember what day of the week it is, let alone everything that is going in in the lives of our closest friends. Before we know it, weeks - sometimes months have passed without exchanging a single word. Sometimes we feel slighted, and other times we chastise ourselves for not being a better friend, but in the end we let those negative feelings slip away. There is, after all, so much more to a friendship than regular contact.

In those days and weeks between interaction, there are the well-wishing, positive thoughts of those friends that keep them active around our souls. The gift of a long lost memory surfacing, or a flash of their smiling face crosses our mind unexpectedly remind us that the bond of friendship runs deep and is immensely forgiving of periods of time apart. If ever there was a doubt about that, the first moments of reconnecting like no time has passed at all are the most convincing proof.

I have degrees of friendship with a variety of people, and I value every one of them. Whether I see them intermittently and our time consists of lighter conversation and laid back interactions, or we get together more often, stay in touch, and immediately pick up where we left off regardless of the time that has passed, their existence and influence in my life has a purpose. Each and every impact is important, because I wouldn't be the person I am without them all.

So to my friends, near and far, long-time and new, I think of you often, always enjoy hearing from you, and am grateful for your friendships. Even if I haven't said it before, I treasure any and all the time I am fortunate enough to share with you.