I'm going to share my experience
When I was younger, I had a best
friend. She and I met when we were in
1st grade, and bonded immediately. We
spent most of our childhood together.
We tried new things together, we
experienced loss together, we were the
very best of friends.
I was 16 when I realized that I was in
love with her. Not petty, shallow love. I
loved this girl with every fiber of my
existence. She was wonderful. And
when I shared this with her, she burst
into tears, for she felt the same, and
was afraid that I would leave if she told
me.
We spent the next 4 years in an
incredible relationship. We gave each
other our virginity, we learned how to
love another human being. We were
engaged to be married. Everything was
bliss. But, as you know, people grow,
and as they grow, they change.
When I was 20, I started getting more
tattoos, which she was perfectly fine
with. She loved tattoos. But when I told
her I wanted to get my nipples pierced,
and I asked her how she felt about that,
she wasn't in favor. Now, I know that it
was my choice, but before this, we had
always respected each other's feelings
when we went to make a decision. This
time, I blew her off and did it anyway.
She was hurt. Not angry, just hurt.
This was the beginning of the end. We
were both Christians, but at this point
in our lives, I was more interested in
exploring the world, and she was more
interested in exploring her faith. It
wasn't working. We talked about it, and
decided that we should end it.
We didn't talk much for a week or so.
We had decided to remain friends, but
our relationship had put a dent in our
15+ year friendship, and we weren't
sure where to go from there.
I was miserable. I missed my best
friend. I missed my love. I didn't know
what to do.
She went on a trip with her family. One
day, when she was gone, I was at my
Starbucks (I've been a regular customer
at one particular store for 10 years
now) and I bumped into a pretty young
woman who I hadn't seen in some time.
We talked, had coffee, and decided to
have dinner soon.
Needless to say, that evolved into a
serious relationship over the next few
months. I took it slow, because I was
still hurting from the loss of my best
friend, but she was angry at my dating,
and wasn't talking to me. We didn't talk
at all for over a year. She drifted into
the back of my mind, and was nearly
lost.
Fast forward 15 months, and my
current relationship is in the toilet. The
new girl has cheated on me, and has
been lying about many things since the
beginning of the relationship. I ended it,
and went to work.
and who did I
see? My best friend. After 15 months of
completely losing her, she had
randomly stopped by MY Wawa, having
forgotten that I worked there. We talked
for a couple of minutes, and I told her
that I had broken up with
whatsername. She looked relieved.
I told her that I was getting off in a half
hour, and asked what she was doing
that night. She said that she had just
finished dinner with her family, and
that she had no plans. I asked her if she
minded waiting a bit for me to get off
so we could catch up, and she said
sure.
When I got off, we walked over to a
little patio at the restaurant next door.
We sat on the ground under an awning,
and it began to rain. We sat there and
talked, laughed, cried for 4 hours. I
apologized for hurting her, for
throwing away our friendship, and for
just being immature. Our friendship was
back. And only then, did I realize how
much I had missed it. CRAVED it.
