In my youth, I had tons of friends, constantly befriending more and more as I graduated to each new grade. I was a floater, always friendly with everyone but never really part of any group. Now I'm all grown up and I find it is hard to be a floater. Keeping friendships alive with all of our busy schedules is a difficult task, resulting in the upkeep of only a few select ones.

Most of the people I grew up with, I don't keep in touch with anymore. After we all went off to college in different locations, many of us parted ways. The ones that remained, whom I hold close to my heart, are a reminder that not everyone is meant to stay in your life forever. Some people are only meant to stay long enough to teach you something and shake your world up a bit, but eventually they will become a distant memory. The ones that matter most will always be a part of you.

To all the friends I fell out of touch with,

Although we do not speak anymore, I still care for you. Anyone who has been a friend to me will always be remembered in my mind. Whether we were friends in second grade or in high school or any point in between, your kindness matters to me. I don't remember much from my past and I have forgotten most memories I made with people, but I will never forget the smiles your friendship put on my face.

I am always supporting you, long lost friends, and I miss you but our paths have gone in different directions. Whether or not they will ever cross again is a mystery, but I will still be supporting you and smiling at your success. Sometimes I think about calling up some of you, but you are a figment of my past. That part of my life is over. Each year brings more fallout with friends, and that is okay. The most important thing is that the people who are in my life right now love and care for me. Family and a few close friends is all I need.

If we have ever crossed paths and spent a period of time in each other's lives, I want to say thank you. Thank you for being a friend and helping me grow. You may have stuck around for years, or maybe just a few months. Whatever the case may be, thank you for making memories with me. Each and every one of you has changed my life in some way. One opposite decision, one person I never got the chance to meet, and my life would have taken a slightly different path. The people who touch our lives make us who we are. I cherish my years of growth and all the people who were a part of it. I am still growing and look forward to all the people I will meet and the memories we will make.

Sincerely,

A friend from your past