My fiance and I had dinner with my sister and her husband recently (OOTD pictures below). It’s not often that we can coordinate the busy schedules of 4 different people to be able to get together like this. Reflecting on this, I realized just how much relationships change as you grow older…
When I was in elementary school, I was in a small class with 14 other students. Although I had two best friends in class, I could honestly tell you that I had some form of friendship with every person in that class. 15 years later, I still have fond memories of the frienships I had in elementary school – innocent, straightforward, honest friendships.
Fast forward to middle school/high school – the atmosphere has changed. We’re all a little bit more grown now, a little bit more aware of our surroundings, a little bit more aware that there are multiple ways to perceive what people say and do. We start reading into things instead of taking them for surface value, and becoming offended if we read into things the wrong way. Friendships are built, and friendships are burned.
Fast forward to college – time to build new friendships with a new, more mature crowd of classmates. Amongst a lecture hall crowded with hundreds of students, you manage to befriend a handful of peers. You spend the next few years on campus together, and together you cross the finish line at graduation. Post graduation, every one goes their separate ways – moving back to their home state, moving away for job opportunities, moving away to pursue another level of education, whatever it may be.
Fast forward to the working world – where is everyone? Those college friends who moved away are long gone. Those of us who are geographically closer together are far too busy with work and life to get together. Plans are made, but we only follow through 50% of the time, because life always seems to get in the way.
I miss those friendships from my elementary school days. Relationships seem to become infinitely more complex as you grow older, and infinitely more difficult to maintain as you move on with your life and build your career and family.
Just some food for thought.
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Thanks for reading!