2010 was seven years ago, which something that I still can't comprehend, because it was also the year we became best friends, until suddenly, we weren't. It's strange to hear those words roll off my tongue as I mention it to a friend while casually reminiscing over better times. It was always a fleeting thought for me that may have captured my attention for a span of 30 seconds, but then, I moved on. I feel proud of being able to do that. It's a symbolic ritual for me to think about the past as a simple afterthought.

But when I finally got in touch with my best friend from seven years ago,the weight of those words finally crashed down on me.

We had become friends through music, around the age of six or seven, but we'd only attend to practice together and leave separately after. It wasn't until September 2010 that we suddenly realized we could become as close as sisters. Every weekend was spent together, and when we weren't hanging out, we were thinking about the next time that we could. It all feels like a blur when going back to those days, because time passed by so quickly when we were having fun. Eventually, one of us had to change, and that was me. I suddenly became a serious girl who no longer understood the innocent curiosity and sense of adventure that came with being a child. In simple terms: I was too mature for my age.

It obviously took a toll on our friendship, and I distanced myself from her without knowing. The worst part about it all was I was only becoming aware of this when it was mentioned to me, seven years later. It was like a wake-up call telling me those last few years could have been different if I hadn't tried to mature too quickly. But the past is in the past, and all we can do is create our future.

So we reconnected and started talking.

It's always strange to tell yourself how you wish you could go back to the good old days. I tried telling myself that when I first realized how distanced we were. Maybe it wasn't the best idea, and maybe it just wasn't the right time then, because now that we've started contacting each other again, I can easily tell her how things are going. It's the best feeling to return to a friendship unharmed by the distance, because you both can pick up on the last place you left off when you had metaphorically said "goodbye." You can always go to that person and tell them how your day was or how things have been in the past few years, because you both know each other so well.

Maturity comes with the acceptance that what's in the past is in the past. There's no way to change the fact that I missed those years of being closer with her, but we still have a long time to catch up. That feeling of guilt mixed with regret will always sit in the back of my mind; there's no doubt about that. But what I'm beginning to realize is that there will always be a part of both of us that makes us sisters. We've been there for each other for so long that it's natural for us to be each other's shoulder to cry on when there's nothing else we can do, and that's the best part about getting back to a long-lost friendship. Time moves quickly when your goal is to grow up quickly, so never forget the people who you're closest to.

They've helped you get this far in life, and for that, they deserve infinite "thank you's."