"This is beauty."

The title is a direct quote from a Facebook comment that was made on a picture I posted last night. In the picture is myself, my sister, and my friend, who got married that day. We've been friends for more than TEN years! My sister and I were two of her bridesmaids.  In fact, all of the bridesmaids were friends of mine from college, one in which we hadn't seen in four years (our friend that got married we hadn't seen in that amount of time either). It was the first wedding we've ever been in. My friend's now-husband is absolutely perfect for her. We spent Friday night and Saturday laughing, drinking wine and sharing memories of times passed and of what's been going on in our lives. It was, as the saying goes, just like old times. This weekend was also a slightly cruel reminder at just how fast the hands of time seem to spin. Four years is four years too long, and we all made pacts this weekend that we would simply not allow that much time to pass in between visits again. 

But here's the thing: Friendship, true friendship, is not dampened, hindered, or broken by the passages of time, or by the number of miles between one another. It is an invisible tether, binding hearts and lives together, irregardless of where everyone is on their own life's path. And when that precious moment of reuniting occurs, it's as if they were never parted at all. That is beauty. 

Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that friendships last forever. I learned that over two years ago, after an almost ten-year friendship ended. Its ending was not entirely unexpected, however. Oh, there were plenty of red flags and warning signs, of which they were recognized and acknowledged but all the while ignored. But people change, ambitions change, and sometimes, you have to walk away knowing you did all you could.  That's definitely not beauty, but it certainly is courage. 

And then, sometimes, when you least expect it, for just a brief, fleeting moment, people come into your lives, people that give you a different perspective. People that color your world with shades you've never seen before. People that make you smile at just the mere thought of them. People that you meet in the most unexpected of circumstances. People that are just...there. How long it lasts is anybody's guess. But any time spent together is a gift, and any memories made are gifts. Time passes, yes, and distance separates, but people are forever. That is beauty. 

Maintaining is hard. It is so very hard, and I am slowly learning this, especially over the last few months. I've recognized at just how terrible I am at staying in touch with people, especially among those I'm privileged to call my friends. I sincerely promise to do better. But here's the thing about my friends: we respect each other's "busyness" and respect that we all have our lives to live. Some of us have families, all of us have full-time jobs or are in school, and none of us really live near each other. (It's still not an excuse though!) And as I mentioned earlier, when we are fortunate enough to spend any amount of time together, we're able to essentially just pick up right where we left off. I really can't ask for anything more than that. And when you have absolute confidence that where you are, right now, at this very moment in your life, without any doubt, THIS is where you are meant to be, embrace it! That, also, is beauty, and that is why I cannot be sad or bitter about the amount of time that passes in between seeing my friends, or even my family! My friends are doing some amazing things with their lives :)

So, to close, this is to anyone who is in my life, whether you've been there for ten years or just a few months: Thank you. In some shape, form, or fashion, you have enriched my life for the better, and I can only pray that I've done the same.