The last 24 hours have been wonderful. Last night, a good friend that I had lost touch with a couple of years ago sent me an email through a social networking site she had joined. We spoke on the phone for the next three hours, catching up on all that we had missed. She’d had a serious operation, moved into the country and was recovering well from a debilitating anxiety disorder that has plagued her since she was a child.
This evening, I went to visit her for a couple of hours and it was like we’d never been apart. I realised how much I had missed her, she has always understood me better than anyone. We came from very similiar backgrounds, both raised predominantly by our inadequate fathers. We went through school together, helped each other through the hard times and shared the good. She was the attractive one with all the male attention, I was the brainy one with all the advice. We were like yin and yang, perfect opposites but also the same. I loved her like the sister I never had.
Although she now lives a fair distance away, I intend to see and speak to her often. I didn’t take the time to keep our friendship alive before and I don’t want to make that mistake again. It’s rare to find a person who feels like an extension of your own self and, when you do, it’s incredibly stupid to neglect and ultimately lose them. I consider it a hard lesson learned and I’m incredibly lucky that I found her again.
So, my little piece of advice? Think about your friends for a minute and imagine they are no longer part of your life. Would you miss them? If yes, tellthem how much they mean to you and always make sure you put aside time for them. Don’t wait for them to ask for it, be proactive. Don’t take them for granted or assume that they’ll always be there with a shoulder to cry on. They’ll truly appreciate you for it, and you’ll retain a wonderful friendship.