Past Friendships

Now and then, I wonder about those friends from my past – maybe they are ex-friends, or friendships that fizzled out due to various reasons.  I’ll be reminded of a past friend when going through photo albums or remembering her birthday – it can trigger mixed emotions and memories.

I sometimes think about reaching out to them, but then stop myself before picking up the phone or sending the email.  There is a reason the friendship ended – right?  Similar to a romantic relationship that ended, we tend to remember the good stuff – not always the bad.  We also try to understand what happened – similar to a romantic relationship, we’re often left with little to no answers.

I believe it’s natural to miss our old friendships, even the ones that caused heartbreak.  There’s history with those from our past – experiences shared with each friend that probably include important events (she was there for you during a breakup, she was in your wedding, she was the first person you called when you got the promotion, etc.).  These memories are difficult to remember without your friend present in them. 

Do you think about past friends?  If so, are there certain ones in particular you think about?  Do you find yourself looking at the friendship with a different set of eyes?  Or is it out of sight, out of mind?