Friendship is a funny thing.  It is the best gift and the most heartbreaking goodbye.  At its height, it is pure magic.  It’s no secret that I’ve had a rough adjustment after all of my incredible roommates moved out after our program ended.  Losing community is the hardest challenge and loneliness is not easily overcome.  But friendship is not so easily lost, and this week has reminded me of that.

This past week I had three sets of friends come into town, and it was the best week I’ve had in months.  It was a week of pure fun and new adventures.  It was a week where friendships picked up right where they left off and new ones began to form.  It brightened me and filled me up.  It was much needed.

The gift of this week was the realization that though loneliness may creep in sometimes, the friendships that are connected to this magical place are so much stronger.  They cure any sadness the instant you are reconnected, and it’s as if no time has passed.  They ask the hard questions, they know which snacks to eat first, and which walls to take pics at.

They are not limited to this place. They continue to grow and exist beyond the walls of this kingdom.  And that is beautiful.  That is a gift.  So whatever friendships you have now that feel so distant and so far away, take comfort in the ability to pick up right where you left off.  Know that everything is still in tact, and distance is your only enemy.  It’s the hardest thing in the world to be separated,  but the sweetest gift to be reunited.  So be thankful for all the adventures you have together, and always remember:

And as the years go by
Our friendship will never die
You’re gonna see it’s our destiny
You’ve got a friend in me