Fleeting Emotions

I recently discovered that a childhood ex-friend moved to the Bay Area. We were quite close when we were young, until we had a falling out almost 9 years ago and we haven't spoken since. This discovery has been on my mind since I found out a few days ago, even though I'm not having any thoughts of reconciliation or confrontation. Jeff asked why I was thinking about it then.

Ever since I was young, I've experienced deep feelings and strong convictions. As a teenager, these tendencies were clouded by delusion and immaturity - I can't say for sure that has gotten much better in my adult years. I remember feeling so sure of our friendship during the good times, and feeling so hurt by our fights during the bad times. It's a sobering thought that human emotions can be so temporary, even if we were so sure of them at one time. Here I am now 8 years later, and both of those emotions feel like faraway memories. They've been replaced by a quiet acceptance that not all friendships are meant to last forever, despite the best of intentions. But you can appreciate them for the time that they were a happy part of your life.

Bodega Bay, CA, July 2013