I’ve recently been reflecting a lot on friendships – how they form, evolve, grow apart. Throughout my two decades of life on this planet, I’ve been blessed to have made some amazing friends, some who’ve since gone their own ways, and some who’ve truly become lifelong companions. Inspired by a conversation with my cousin, I had an analogy come to mind that I feel really represents the beautiful way people come and go in life: a highway. (OK yes, this post is also partially inspired by Furious 7 and the See You Again music video).
Photo by Alex Kalinin on Unsplash
The Highway Analogy
As somebody who is now partially competent with driving, let me go ahead with this highway analogy. The highway itself is a super-long, fast-moving road where cars drive side by side. To enter the highway, a car has to accelerate through an entry ramp onto the main highway, and to exit the highway, a car has to decelerate through an exit lane out of the highway. Simple enough.
Entrances, Exits, and Your Highway
Now onto the philosophy bit of this post. Imagine that the main highway is your life. You’re constantly driving down this long road, discovering new territory and evolving as you go along. You’re not alone though – your friends are driving along with you down this highway as they move toward their own destinations. Some of them have been driving with you for a LONG time – maybe even many years. Others have only recently entered your highway. And finally, some who’ve been with you for a while are approaching their exit, preparing to leave. This goes on and on.
A Variety of Emotions
How awesome is it that on your journey, you are able to fully experience the emotions that life has to offer. You feel gratitude and warmth for the friends who’ve been driving side by side with you for a long time. You feel excitement for getting to know new friends who’ve recently entered your highway. Ultimately, you also feel sadness for friends who are exiting your highway. Maybe their path lies elsewhere and you wish them the best, hoping to see them again soon. Or maybe their road has naturally diverged from yours, and while you’re melancholic, you’re ready to let them go and find their own way.
Guest of Another Highway
One last thing to add. While you are undoubtedly the main character of your highway, you are also a guest on so many other friends’ highways. You will also grow, evolve and change as a person as you drive along, and eventually, you may decide to exit their highway. That’s just how friendships work – we develop as people and go our own ways. This isn’t a bad thing at all, and your path may very well intersect with an old friend’s again later down the line. Not that it’s easy to let go of friendships – it can be extremely difficult. But change really is the only constant, and more importantly, change is inevitable. So why resist, and prolong the discomfort, when better things may await you on a new road?
I hope y’all enjoyed this one, and I hope it resonated in some way😊 Until next time!
– Dvij
(Featured Image: Photo by Matt Duncan on Unsplash)
