I don’t have many regrets at this point in my life. I feel as though I have done pretty well this far. But the one thing I do regret is letting go of friendships that meant everything to me. My first year of college was the best year of my life. Not only did I finally get that independence I had always craved, I finally made some real friends.
However, at the end of my first year, I made the decision to transfer schools and lost many of those friends. I have taken full responsibility for this, and because of that, it is my biggest regret. I thought these friendships would last forever, but I was wrong.
It’s always sad when a relationship you thought would last forever ends. But the truth is, sometimes people just grow apart regardless of how long it’s been. It is possible to be friends with that person at another time. However, it is important to understand that these things happen for a reason. Friendships begin and end for a reason.
Not all friendships are meant to last a lifetime.
Some people are placed in our lives only for a brief moment, but that moment could have a major impact. Maybe they aren’t going to be a constant in your life, but that doesn’t make their presence any less significant.
I am grateful for the friends I have now and had in the past. Each one taught me something I didn’t know before and probably wouldn’t have learned elsewhere. Most of these friendships didn’t last, but that’s okay. I still hold on to these lessons and memories I share with each of these people.
Through all this, I learned that not all friendships last forever, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t mean anything. It may mean more because you get to reflect on the experience and relationship and figure out the meaning. The friendship may not last forever, but the purpose of the friendship does.
It is okay to purposefully stop being friends with a person. If they have become toxic or distant, or if they just aren’t treating you the way a friend should, you shouldn’t feel bad about cutting ties with them. But just because the friendship ended in a negative way doesn’t mean the entire experience has to be negative. There is something to learn from every relationship, good or bad. If nothing else, you learn a few things about yourself.
Not all friendships last forever. But the memories you share and the lessons you learn are an important part of who you are. No matter how long or short the friendship was, be grateful for having that person. There are times we wish we could go back and do things differently and there are times when we don’t say what we need to say.
So thank the friends you do have, and if you can, thank the friends you did have. Everyone likes being appreciated. No matter why it ended or how it ended be grateful for the experience. Each friend that I have and had held a special place in my heart. I will always be thankful for all that I learned during each friendship.
And I am thankful for who I have become as a result.
Featured image via Felix Rostig on Unsplash
