Your thread has made me think about the friends I know today, how long I have been friends with them, and how I first met them.
The vast majority of the friends I am in contact with today generally fall within two groups.
The first group of friends are those I met in the past 10-15 years.
The second group are those I met during the first 15 years of my life.
Strangely there seems to be a gap of many years between these two timeframes. It looks as if during my life I have lost contact with a rather a lot of friends. Was it something I said or did, or was I just socially introverted?
I think I might finally have the answer.
During my 20s and 30s, the people I was friends with were going through some major life changes. Some started new jobs, others started families, and some moved away to far off places. On my final day at university, I remember those friends who told me they would "stay in touch". But no letters came and the telephone never rang. Many years later I was invited to a Reunion party. It was like being in a room full of strangers. We were incredibly cordial and polite, but the warmth of the friendship we had all those years ago was no longer there. Times change, people change, and life can be very transient. Even though we are not close friends anymore, I am glad because they have found happiness and fulfilment in their lives.
Most of the friends that I have kept in touch with the most are those I have a strong connection with. Perhaps it is our faith, our shared life experiences, ambitions and goals.
Social media has helped me get in touch with some of my old school friends all those years back. I think sometimes we love nostalgia and revisiting our past, going back to an age where our lives were less complicated, laughing over the fun and silly things we used to do.
