The first best friend I remember having was a red head boy whose name I won’t mention on this blog. At 4 to 5 years old he was the fastest runner I had met and he was my “boyfriend” in the way a 4 to 5 year old could be a boyfriend. I remember meeting him at play school and then we were in the same class again in what they now call kindergarten or Grade 0. In Grade 1 we went to separate schools. I went to a girl’s only school (Balmoral Girl’s Primary School) and he went to a boys only school (Queens College Junior School). We lost touch after that and haven’t spoken since my birthday party in Grade 1. Last I heard he moved to Australia with his family.
That was my first experience of a best friend for a season. Over the years other friends have come and gone and I have lost touch with them. I’ve seen some of them again and I’ll admit it was awkward in many cases.
Then there are friends that I see as friends for life. Maryann is one of them. We became friends in Grade 3 and she moved away with her parents in Grade 5. Every time we talk to each other or see each other it is as though we have never been apart. It is just the way it is.
Another friend who I had this experience with is a boy who became like a little brother to me from Grade 2 to Grade 6. He was 2 years younger than I was, so there was never any awkwardness between us (of the boyfriend-girlfriend variety). His family also moved away, and when my dad suggested we go and visit them during my first year out of High School. It was like we had never been apart. It was fun riding motorbikes with him on their farm. I haven’t seen him since then, but we are friends on Facebook so I keep an eye on what is going on in his life.
I believe God brings these people into our lives for a reason and for the season. The people I feel are the closest friends to me are the ones I don’t have to text/phone every week, or even every month, but when we do speak again it’s like we were never apart.
The friends for a season all serve their purpose though. The toughest thing is to realise which friends are for a season and which friends are for life, and making sure you don’t feel hurt when the friends for a season drift away.
New friends usually come along pretty quickly, so don’t worry, learn what you need to from the friends for a season and move on from them.
Build friendships instead with the friends for life – you can recognize those friends because they are “Low-Maintenance”.
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