This evening, when I was scrolling through my Pinterest feed, I came across an interesting article. Published by Huffington Post, it discussed "The Seven Year Expiration Date on Friendships." In 2011, research done by Gerald Mollenhorst, a sociologist at Utrecht University, concluded that "most relationships tend to be fleeting." The friends we make are usually determined by our circumstances rather than personal similarities. For example, we may remain close to certain people if we are often in contact with them at the workplace, in school, or in our neighborhood. 1,007 men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 were interviewed, and then were contacted again seven years later. At the later date many still had the same number of people in their social group, but the friends themselves had changed. A common occurrence was the correlation of how the people met and how long their friendship lasted. Mollenhorst pointed out that most individuals met friends in the same places as acquaintances -- but friendships require nurturing to grow and be successful.

This made me think of the question: "Do friendships have a shelf life?" I definitely have had some relationships fizzle out due to us not being in the same location any more (school), and not taking part in daily interactions. I can't say I am entirely innocent in this situation -- I definitely did not put in the effort to maintain these friendships after graduating. On the other hand, I have a group of people I have known for more than 15 years, but only see sporadically during a calendar year. However, these people remain some of my closest friends. I value that we don't need to be in constant contact to know we are still friends -- there is not that certain "neediness" that comes along with newer relationships, the feeling that you need to be in constant contact to show that you value them and their time.

So here is to my oldest friends, and those I will have for life. I know that whenever we meet, we can pick up right back where we left off. With you comes a sense of comfort felt in a mother's hug, or the perfectly fitting pair of jeans. My friendship with you has no expiration date, and this is the first thing that became evident to me as I read the Huffington Post article. We enjoy the little moments we have with each other, and I am happy to know I will never be a stranger when I knock on your door.