Dear friend,

I remember when we first met. Neither of us knew what to say, so we started the way most great friends do, with “hello, my name is…” From there, one could say the rest is history. But it’s that history that is so important.

There are so many things I miss about you. I miss seeing you smile when I say something unintentionally funny. I miss our movie nights, when it was just the two of us. I miss the way you were an open ear, a shoulder to lean on and someone to laugh with, all in one package.

I miss the way you could offer insight when I needed it, a new perspective on an old situation. I miss eating ice cream at midnight just because we could. I miss the way you seemed to understand me even when I couldn’t find the words for what I really wanted to say.

What happened to us? A better question would be, what happens to all great friends? We grew, we changed, we lived. It’s an inevitable reality that we all face. I didn’t see it coming. In fact, I didn’t see it happening until I was looking at it from the present. I was peering into the past at the life I used to live.

Changing is an integral part of growing up, attempting to figure out who we are. Through that growth, it might mean finding your true self. But it can also mean losing a friend or two in the process. If your friendship is a good one, a strong one, it will survive. It might take a little more work than some things, but if it’s worth it to you and your friend, you will find a way to work it out.

I certainly hope that I can find my way back to equal footing with my friend. After all, I miss you.