"the center of the compass"
Life takes on the properties of a river. It flows up and down. From joy to sadness. From birth to death. From expectation to regret. From anticipation to fulfillment.
Within these experiences we constantly develop attachments. We are attached to things around us that bring us comfort or feelings of success. We are attached to memories of experiences we believe make us unique. And we are attached to friends and family members who form the framework for these experiences.
I have, in my life, been lucky enough to have been part of several "waves" of friendships. These waves, when they crested, formed an apex of positive socialization -- a time when the people in my life were strongly attached to each other, and to me. In those eras we felt so strongly for one another, that we would die, lie, and kill for one another. We spend every waking moment in each other's company, feeding off the collective energy of the group and using it to fuel development in other areas of our lives.
And yet every wave that crests must have a trough. In those low times, old friendships fade and thin. People become distant, conversations strained, people behave more often in their own best interests, and seldom are they concerned with the welfare of the group.
Even having experienced this "wave" three or four times, it's hard to remember that those lows don't reflect poorly on me or my friends. These times of separation and relative disharmony serve to remind us what's so precious about those friendships "in sync." The world loves a balance, and the stronger a bond is now, the weaker it must eventually become.
And so, I lift a metaphorical glass of wine to those times, those friendships passed and those yet to come. I salute you, friends who remain, and you who once stood with me. Life was sweet, is sweet, will be sweet again. The wheel turns, and death gives way to rebirth. May the sweetness of this balance become understood more and more with each passing day.
Life takes on the properties of a river. It flows up and down. From joy to sadness. From birth to death. From expectation to regret. From anticipation to fulfillment.
Within these experiences we constantly develop attachments. We are attached to things around us that bring us comfort or feelings of success. We are attached to memories of experiences we believe make us unique. And we are attached to friends and family members who form the framework for these experiences.
I have, in my life, been lucky enough to have been part of several "waves" of friendships. These waves, when they crested, formed an apex of positive socialization -- a time when the people in my life were strongly attached to each other, and to me. In those eras we felt so strongly for one another, that we would die, lie, and kill for one another. We spend every waking moment in each other's company, feeding off the collective energy of the group and using it to fuel development in other areas of our lives.
And yet every wave that crests must have a trough. In those low times, old friendships fade and thin. People become distant, conversations strained, people behave more often in their own best interests, and seldom are they concerned with the welfare of the group.
Even having experienced this "wave" three or four times, it's hard to remember that those lows don't reflect poorly on me or my friends. These times of separation and relative disharmony serve to remind us what's so precious about those friendships "in sync." The world loves a balance, and the stronger a bond is now, the weaker it must eventually become.
And so, I lift a metaphorical glass of wine to those times, those friendships passed and those yet to come. I salute you, friends who remain, and you who once stood with me. Life was sweet, is sweet, will be sweet again. The wheel turns, and death gives way to rebirth. May the sweetness of this balance become understood more and more with each passing day.