Does it ever bother you when you become separated from the people who used to be important to you? People who at one point in your life meant a great deal to you, but for one reason or another-- moving away, changing jobs, just growing up-- things have changed? I get like that sometimes. I think about my college friends, my previous coworkers-- heck, even my elementary and high school classmates-- and sometimes regret the way life led us in different directions.

Some of those friendships are beyond saving. I have no idea where in the world some people are, and it is pretty much impossible to track them down. Some of them I don't particularly care to contact. It's not that I don't like them; I just feel that our lives have taken us so far in different directions that things would never be the same again. I'd rather cherish the good memories I have of our friendships than try to force the creation of new memories.

And then there are the timeless friends, the ones I can be separated from for months and yet still retain that closeness the minute we see or speak to each other again. The ones who love me and understand me and were an integral part of my life at some point. These are the ones I can vent to, the ones who understand my love of confetti and Sprocket, the ones I have so many fond memories of. Unfortunately, I am sometimes guilty of not staying in touch, partly because I know that the time and distance won't change our friendship.

Anyway, enough prelude. Today I spoke to a few old friends I hadn't talked to in a while. And it made me feel good. It was nice to know that we still had that connection. But I also realized that I need to do a much better job of staying in touch. A lot of us think that it's not necessarily our responsibility to be the one to call or e-mail friends we haven't talked to in a while ("She's got a phone, she can call me, too!" or "I e-mailed him last") but friendships weren't meant to be that way. I'm guilty of getting so busy that I don't make the time (I would say that I don't "have" the time, but I can always find time for things that are important to me) to keep in touch with my friends.

When it comes right down to it, friends are one of the most important riches in our lives. If you invest in your friends, you get a great return. Just something to think about. :)