One-- We're not the same; We get to carry each other
Echos of U2's song "One" have plagued my head over the past few week.
The song says so much to me, in just 3 short minutes, and this week it has made me think about the relationships I have with my friends.
I have thought about all the friends in my life, and how their lives are so different from the one that I lead.
One example that comes to my mind is a friend of mine that I have known since I was a year old. Our grandparents were buddies, our fathers were best friends growing up, so this logically put us in very close quarters growing up, and by that very nature a close friendship developed.
As time has grown on, and I have move on with my education and moved away from where we grew up together. Her life has seemed to grow in another direction. While my life is filled with worries about my job, grad. school, and finding that soulmate that I believe is out there looking for me. She, on the other hand, got pregnant right out of high school, had her baby's father cheat on her, and for the past 7 years has been fighthing to keep custody of her child and to make ends meet with various jobs.
It amazes me how our lives could start out very similarly, but yet go in such different directions-- and there isn't just one example of this my life (or in your's, I am sure).
Another one that immediately comes to mind, is the relationship with my undergrad. friends. Although the realtionship I have with my undergrad friends is the most sacred friendship I have in this world, as time as moves on, our lives keep changing. They both are married, and will in a short period of time start to have children, and create unbelievably beautiful familes. However, my life seems to them, to stay the same. I am single, not finding love, and playing the field. While, I know (or at least feel for the most part) that this disparity in our lives doesn't change how we feel about each other, it has put an invisible strain in our relationship at times.
For example: When there are dinners, I am the 5th person at the table. When they are often doing "couple things", I am often doing my "Single things". Sure, it can be rather painful at times to be in a room with them, and feel so different from, when it feels it wasn't so long ago that I was so similar to them. However, I guess I am starting to realize changes happen, shifts will occur in each of our lives, and that change is the only constant we have a guarantee will happen in this world.
I have learned that despite how different you feel from the people in your life and how it can make you feel awkward and slightly sad-- its the one thing we should treasure the most.
Our unique differences is make us love each other, and no matter what directions me and my friends take (even if it is in the polar opposite direction), my hope is that we will always remember to love and treasure the qualities that make us so different.
Most importantly, even if it isn't a direction that we would make for ourselves, I hope that we all remember that "We're not the same; We get to carry each other," and in life that is most treasured gift that one person can give to another.
The song says so much to me, in just 3 short minutes, and this week it has made me think about the relationships I have with my friends.
I have thought about all the friends in my life, and how their lives are so different from the one that I lead.
One example that comes to my mind is a friend of mine that I have known since I was a year old. Our grandparents were buddies, our fathers were best friends growing up, so this logically put us in very close quarters growing up, and by that very nature a close friendship developed.
As time has grown on, and I have move on with my education and moved away from where we grew up together. Her life has seemed to grow in another direction. While my life is filled with worries about my job, grad. school, and finding that soulmate that I believe is out there looking for me. She, on the other hand, got pregnant right out of high school, had her baby's father cheat on her, and for the past 7 years has been fighthing to keep custody of her child and to make ends meet with various jobs.
It amazes me how our lives could start out very similarly, but yet go in such different directions-- and there isn't just one example of this my life (or in your's, I am sure).
Another one that immediately comes to mind, is the relationship with my undergrad. friends. Although the realtionship I have with my undergrad friends is the most sacred friendship I have in this world, as time as moves on, our lives keep changing. They both are married, and will in a short period of time start to have children, and create unbelievably beautiful familes. However, my life seems to them, to stay the same. I am single, not finding love, and playing the field. While, I know (or at least feel for the most part) that this disparity in our lives doesn't change how we feel about each other, it has put an invisible strain in our relationship at times.
For example: When there are dinners, I am the 5th person at the table. When they are often doing "couple things", I am often doing my "Single things". Sure, it can be rather painful at times to be in a room with them, and feel so different from, when it feels it wasn't so long ago that I was so similar to them. However, I guess I am starting to realize changes happen, shifts will occur in each of our lives, and that change is the only constant we have a guarantee will happen in this world.
I have learned that despite how different you feel from the people in your life and how it can make you feel awkward and slightly sad-- its the one thing we should treasure the most.
Our unique differences is make us love each other, and no matter what directions me and my friends take (even if it is in the polar opposite direction), my hope is that we will always remember to love and treasure the qualities that make us so different.
Most importantly, even if it isn't a direction that we would make for ourselves, I hope that we all remember that "We're not the same; We get to carry each other," and in life that is most treasured gift that one person can give to another.
posted by flawedperfection @ 12:53 PM
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