To My Old and New Friends

“Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend.”

“I never feel lonely if I’ve got a book – they’re like old friends. Even if you’re not reading them over and over again, you know they are there. And they’re part of your history. They sort of tell a story about your journey through life.”

I have never felt truly happy when I think about old friends, the people I’ve met in my life: brothers and sisters, old school friends. It makes me feel that maybe there is something I still need to learn from them.

I remember my primary school friends and secondary school friends. We used to have fun together. We used to talk about our studies and so many other things. I remember the night discussions when I was in Form 4, Form 5, and 6… so many good memories.

Now we have become strangers. We have nothing to share, as if we never met.

But I still remember them, and I still love them. I miss them, even though we can’t be together the way we used to be.

What separates us?

Time and chances.

We all have time, and we all receive chances, but we receive them in different seasons. The fact that, as we get older, we lose friends reminds me that this world is not our home.

As I feel more pain thinking about the people I once had in my life, I keep wondering how to let go of these feelings and move on.

I have come to this conclusion:

We all come from the same place, and we will all return to the same place.  

We all have life, but we live it differently.  

We all have a purpose, but our purposes are not the same.

So we need to understand that separation is a part of life. There is no need to be sad. Just thank God that they were part of your journey.

Open the door for people to enter your life, and open it again for them to leave, without disturbing your purpose.  

Love them, spend time with them, share with them, help them.  

Treat them well, learn from them.  

Expect nothing from them, and let them go if they choose to leave.

And if time and chance separate you from them, don’t be sad. Thank God. Accept that we all have different paths.

If they are friends to keep, then keep them—and pray for them to be protected along their way.

Have a blessed moment.