There is a saying that people come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

I believe this to be true.

As a kid, you make friends and you grow up with them. You have similar life experiences. You swim at the same pool. You have the same teachers. You build up years of shared experiences. You become BFF’s.

Best.

Friends.

Forever.

But don’t hang too tightly on that last part. Not all friendships last forever…and that’s ok.

Childhood friendships are fantastic. You learn life together. You grow up together. You share secrets and make plans.

But then, you grow up.

You develop your own values and interests. You realize that you like to read books, but your best friend likes to go to concerts. You want to put down roots in your hometown, but your best friend wants to experience the world.

You grow apart.

There are arguments for keeping the friendship going. It’s great to have a lifelong friendship with someone who grew where you grew, but if you grow apart…don’t beat yourself up over it.

The qualities that someone looks for in a friend at age 7 are very different than what they look for in a friend when they are 37.

The girl who you went swimming with at the pool may not be the best person to comfort you when you lose your job. The girl who liked to go on adventures in the forest may not understand why you work late after work because you are launching your own business.

And that’s ok.

Appreciate every person that enters your life…whether it is for 5 minutes, for your entire childhood, or for your entire life. (tweet this)

Say hello when you want to. Say goodbye when you need to.

And be ok with it.

Image by Philippe Put

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