Old Friends

For the last several years I’ve begun to wonder what friends truly are. Many would say they are people who you enjoy the company of or know personally, but I think that is a fallacy bred through technology. I say this because there are several people I know I like to spend time with, but that is a momentary thing. I can drink and eat and have conversation with these people, but is there more than that. After all, I’m aged. I grew up in a time when you had to ride a bike across town to see someone or pick up a phone to call them. There was an effort there which no longer exists. Video chatting, text messages, unlimited data, facebook, twitter, and so on all contribute to a sense of separation more than joining. By this I mean that far more people know what’s going on with my life than ever before, but there’s no communication there. There’s no commitment of time. It’s a scanned posting or a few impromptu messaged words of greeting; not a conversation. But what I truly enjoy is the face to face. It’s the hug of a greeting, the truth I see in their eyes, and their body language which I’ve learned to trust. It’s the smile that I notice now along with their desire to do it again and follow through with that promise. Of course, time is the equalizer and the ferryman always comes due, which seems gets in the way. However, there are a few friend whom I rarely see that will always be a part of me, more than any emoji could convey. To them, I give my heart and my every living breath because you have made my life worth living in many more ways than you can even begin to comprehend. Those few are my friends, my soul.