now and then

You know how it is when friends go their separate ways after high school or college, when each would lead her own way; some would keep in touch while others don't until one would realize that she has somehow forgotten about the other; and then they reunite years later, realizing either how much they miss the friendship and the good ol' days, or how much they've grown apart and that things will never ever be the same as before.

But then along the way, before you even reunite you go through any of the following:

1. You realize that after years of friendship you no longer feel comfortable hanging out with a friend; that everything has always been about pleasing each other; that you no longer feel like being yourself in her company;

2. You hear one of your friends complain about another friend, that she can't stand her guts, and there's nothing you can do about it;

3. You suspect that years of friendship was founded on hypocrisy, of her stabbing you behind your back, and you can't admit to yourself that she can possible do it because she was such a "good" friend;

4. You feel that nobody's there for you anymore; in the same way that you can't be there for anybody because you're all busy;

5. You know for a fact that somebody's there for you, one who listens, but you just don't feel the connection you're longing for;

6. You get tired of seeing the same face because she's the only one available among your set of friends, leaving you without a choice, and then you feel guilty for feeling that way;

7. You feel that one of those whom you've been running to has been ignoring you lately, that she practically stood you up twice, and that you try to understand she's busy but then you just can't help feeling hurt;

8. When you feel that the only person you know who would understand you and with whom you can very well be yourself with isn't there for you not because she doesn't want to, but because she lives in the North Pole;

9. You realize that the one whom you consider one of the best doesn't bother to keep in touch with you anymore;

10. You feel that you go through this stage of missing a friend without really wanting to see her because you feel like there's nothing to tell anyway.

I have to say that this is not a reaction to the Motion Picture "Now and Then." I loved the movie when I was eleven, and it's one of those I would want to watch all over again.

Well, if keeping a friendship is as easy as the one we view on the big screen, then life would be much happier. =0)