"As people grow up, they realize it's less important to have more friends, and more important to have real ones." - Lauren Conrad
Did I just use a LC quote to introduce my article? You bet I did. We've all been there. Whether it was someone letting you down or you letting someone down, you've lost a friend. Losing a friend is a huge loss. Sometimes you lose them, and your paths never cross again. Sometimes they shut you out, and you have to see them every time your friends get together. Maybe it's a group dynamic that's lost—you all try to fight for it, but it's lost. The magic is gone.
It oftentimes can feel like we're missing a piece of us. You have to readjust your routine. Eventually, they're just memories on your wall. When you have a chance to catch up, it's short sentences. "How are you?" "Oh fine, ya know school's crazy!" You see them every once in awhile at chapter or on campus, but it's not the same. You're not the people you were, and it's disappointing. There are things that will remind you of them, things you want to tell them or inside jokes that only they understand, but it's not that easy.
Hannah, it sounds like you're talking about a breakup. I am. Yes, boyfriends and girlfriends flash in and out of your life. Yes, they're important lessons. Yes, they're tremendously valuable.
But who picks you up when they cheat, lie or break your heart? Your friends. Who grows and evolves and shares years of memories? I doubt it's your hook-up buddy or your boyfriend of five minutes. Friends can get you through anything. They're the vacations, the 2 a.m. pep talks, they're the people who will hang out with you when you haven't showered in two days. They eat queso with you, they rescue you from morning-after regrets, heck mine even hang out with me, even though I continuously find new ways to embarrass myself.
Friends help you become yourself. They're immensely important to keeping us grounded. So when we lose one, it's heartbreaking. It's a loss you carry with you. Unfortunately, it's something that happens to the best of us. We lose contact with our multiple, giant friend groups because we can't be everywhere at one time. It's a sad point that we reach, but it's just life. The friendships that last the test of time are the ones you were supposed to find. You found them through the weird and sometimes bumpy path we follow. But it's always meant to be. It's OK to miss people, but don't let it keep you from experiencing the present.
