As a child, there was statement that I believed to be true without exception: Friends are forever. Unsurprisingly, I soon learned that this idea frequently engraved into 2 heart shaped necklaces, wasn't the insurmountable assertion I believed it to be.

Not all friends were meant to be forever.

I've had a plethora of these 'temporary friends,' and although that may seem disappointing or upsetting, in all reality, I've accepted it for what it is. Did all of these momentary friends have a lasting impact? Probably not. They weren't perfect, neither was I, and a forever friendship just wasn't in the cards. However, some of them did teach me valuable things I am grateful for.

Sometimes, I miss these friends. I long for the wild adventures, and the silly conversation. These impermanent friends of mine tended to be on two separate ends of the spectrum: completely like me, or as far as you could get from it. Lately, as I've had a fair amount of monotony in my life, I long for those unrestrained friends of mine. The ones that would call me at 3 in the morning, and tell me some crazy story, or convince me that the best possible use of our time would be to go on an adventure. As strange as some of it may have been, it was exciting, and honestly, it made me into a more adventurous person. Without them, I may have never done some of the wilder things I've done- gone out to bars (and maybe have gotten a little intoxicated), jumped off of a cliff (into water), and so many other things I'm glad to have experienced.

Even though they weren't in my life permanently, I try to incorporate some of the fun that we had into my longer lasting friendships. I would be lying if I tried to say I hadn't called a friend in the early morning to tell them a joke, or something crazy that happened. Without having someone, albeit short term, to be around, and 'show me the ropes' to having a wild side, I wouldn't have been brave enough to go out and do some of the things that I've enjoyed.

I'm not going to claim that I'm not the least bit saddened by the fact that I don't talk to these people frequently anymore. I miss the adventure, and some of the specific things they would do. But, even though they've come and gone, they've taught me how to make my own adventure. I'm a pretty calm person, but by knowing these people, I've learned how to let go a little, and embrace the calamity.

So, to my temporary friends: Thank you. Truly, thank you so much for having been in my life, even if it was for a short amount of time. Thank you for giving me the power to give up control, and be a fraction as crazy as you were. Thank you for teaching me how to balance the passive and aggressive. I hope that I taught you some things as well, even if my way of doing things aren't as thrilling and death defying as you may be used to. Life needs a balance of the disaster and order- and I completely appreciate the disaster you brought to me. Thanks again, and I hope that what you taught me, unlike our friendship, will last forever.