The thing that wouldn't die

Cardboard friend differs from actual item

Last night I've come come to realize that the best of friendships never really die, they just take extended vacations in the remote jungles of apathy.

After 2 years of awkward silence between me and my best friend, we finally got back in touch with each other. But how does one come back and say, "hey, I don't really know why we stopped talking, but now we've got a gulf of time between us, wanna hang out?" It took me a long time to get up the courage to admit that I've got blame to carry for the falling out as well. When you feel like you've lost a best friend, it's easy to shift the blame elsewhere, and avoid taking the responsibility of re-making the connection. It's easy to fear that everything has changed and things will never be the same again.

However, when we got together to hang out, within the first minute I forgot about the years that had passed us by. It was like not a day had passed. Sure, there was some news that came as a surprise, but when it all comes down to it, neither of us has really changed in any fundamental way, despite all the growing up we've done. It's like an old lock and key. Even after years of use, my house key still works. Sure, the parts have been warn, and they don't look quite the same as they did when they were new, but it all fits together and I can still open that old door.