It seems there are two main groups. There are always the fleeting friendships. The type where something connects you both for a while but it is not enough to prevent drifting apart over time. Then there are the lasting friendships: the ones that matter the most but don't always make perfect sense. These are the friendships that survive through disagreements, physical distance and then generally rough times. But what makes them last? I suppose there isn't just one answer. The concept of friendship is simple - two people who mutually have a connection between them. But in reality it is a complex thing. This is particularly the case due to the inevitability of time and change.
However, although things and people change I think the friendships that last show that these forces aren't purely destructive but can be constructive too. I've lost friends and made friends but the ones that remain despite the things life chucks at them are the ones I value most. Friends have the ability to expose the bad parts of yourself and bring out the good parts as well. They are there to share things with and sometimes just knowing someone cares is enough. The lasting friendships have strange, un-explainable connections that bind them together for years through everything - I think that's something worth maintaining and putting effort into.
I'd urge anyone who has a friend they haven't spoken to for a while to send them a message, even if it's just to ask how they're doing. These people are worth having around and aren't easily replaced.
Laura.
