I had a bittersweet moment this weekend. Two guys who were once close friends of mine got married. Once upon a time, I would have been there to share this special day with them and their families and friends.
But I wasn’t. Somethin
g – I still don’t know what – happened a few years ago and I was suddenly on the outside looking in at a close knit group that I had once been a part of.
It’s amazing to me how much has changed in a short amount of time. This was a small but mighty group of guys with whom I did just about everything for a period of three years. Now, on those rare occasions when I do see them, it’s painfully awkward.
And that sucks. I don’t have any animosity towards them. In fact, I still have a lot of affection for them. And I have a lot of fond memories of things like road tripping, watching the Super Bowl or awards shows, celebrating birthdays, or just hanging out.
But I also know that there’s no going back to what was. Too much time has passed and too much distance has accrued. And that’s really sad.
Perhaps some of that could be regained. We’ll have to see. It would take a lot of work. And I’m not sure how much any of us are willing to do on that.
It’s amazing to me how relationships can change over the course of just a few years and how people who were once near and dear to your heart now stand on the periphery of your life – and, in fact, nearly out of it.
I guess that’s the course of life. Not everyone can stay with the ride all the way through.
But it is surprising that some folks whom you feel extremely close to can suddenly no longer be a part of your life. I guess you never truly know who will stay and who will go in your life.
My best wishes to Brian and Chris. I hope that your marriage is everything you want it to be. And, I hope that, even if we are never close friends again, that you will remember me fondly – just as I remember you.
