There is no denying that change can be hard at times, but change teaches us some of the greatest lessons in life. Perhaps the biggest change I’ve ever experienced occurred just a few short months ago, when I graduated high school and left for college. Through the changes I have faced, I’ve been lucky enough to learn a few lessons. Most of the time I learn these lessons the hard way, but sometimes, they’re just a part of growing up.
It was a hard pill to swallow for me when I found truth in something I had been told for years. Through my junior high and high school years, I had a few people, I guess you could say mentors, who gave me guidance and really took time to pour into me. One day, around the time I was stressing about a friendship that seemed impossible to hold onto, I was told to always remember: “friends are for a season.”
When I was told this, it terrified me. I couldn’t possibly imagine losing all these people in my life that I cared about so deeply. I was quick to write this off, and I was convinced my situation was different. I just knew I would hold onto all these people I loved for the rest of my life. I went to school every day with these people, they knew everything about me. I was wrong.
My senior year of high school, I’d like to think I grew up a little bit. I started to shape myself into the person I wanted to be, I started to really think about my future and what I wanted it to include. I started working most nights; sports and Friday night football games were no longer my only concern. Along with this change, I became distant from a lot of the people I thought would be around forever. This really bothered me for a while until I remembered what I had been told a year or two earlier: “friends are for a season.” We were all going in different directions.
Of course, summer came, and we all chose the schools we would be attending in the fall, and that’s when it really became apparent. I began spending most of my time with family and a few select close friends, and it really seemed quite natural. I left the job back home that I’d had for two years, and the amount of time I spent with my old coworkers also lessened. Now I’m creating a life in Arkadelphia, and in a few years, I’ll graduate and go my own way again. It’s a natural part of life. You have friends and people who will support you during certain times in your life, but you have to keep moving on and adjust to new situations.
While this seemed quite harsh to me at first, I’ve learned it is for the best. If you get lucky, you manage to pick up a few lifelong friends along the way. I know I did, but most of the people you pour your time into are only around for a short part of your life. They are there for a season. That doesn’t mean you love them any less. I still hope the absolute best for the friends I had in high school–it just means that you know you both had to have room to grow.
So, I’ve chosen not to be sad or dwell over the friends I have lost through life. Instead, I’ve chosen to be happy when I remember all the great times we had. I don’t blame it on lack of communication or convince myself they don’t care. We all had to move on. Most friends are for a season, but don’t let that stop you from loving them with all your heart while you have the chance.
– Ashlynn Morton, staff writer
Loved your article and it is so true but I graduated high school over forty years ago and still get together with four of my friends from high school days. We give updates on our lives and share pictures of our grandchildren. I also see five of my college friends every month or so. You have to work at it and set aside time for friends from long ago.