Friends Are Forever

August 22

Some of us hold on to precious thoughts and memories of friends, and often recall the good times together. For some of us, friends are our brothers and sisters whom we share laughters and tears, happiness and misery, joy and sorrow, truimphs and failures and who are there for us when we are high with successes and down in the darkest hours.

Some call it bonding. Others call it brotherhood or sisterhood. Friendship is the establishing of mutual knowledge, understanding, trust, respect, esteem, affection, honesty and loyalty between two sentient beings. Central of human experience and engendering a sentiment of camaraderie, frienships vary in degree of closeness and exclusivity.

Recently, I saw pictures of a group of high school friends, who I used to hang out so often and so much that when we were about to leave school, we made a forever-friends pact.

There was something missing though. I was not in the picture, and my heart sank. A deep sense of sadness swept over me as my heart was laced with disappointment, guilt and regret. I had fallen out from the group. Over the years I had not been in touch with them much, occasionally dropping one or two of them emails and messages. A few of them left the country for a better life overseas. The picture was taken at a gathering as two returned recently for holidays.

I was guilty and regretted for losing touch with them. I was guilty of the lack of behaviour expected of a friend. What I shared with them in those carefree high school days were lost and no amount of effort can restore the bonding we shared, or mend the broken relationships. Some friendships, unfortunately are unable to pick up where they were left off. Perhaps my consolation comes from the good memories I had with them; and though now I have lost the closeness with them, I hold each of them close to my heart, and dearly in my thoughts.

Some would say that it is pointless to fuss over spilled milk. I can't go back in time but if there was even half an opportunity to turn back the clock, I would keep the bond. As I grew older, I learned to cherish good friends; while acquiantances are aplenty and frienships are easily formed, good and true friends are hard to come by, and even harder to keep.

(Standing, from left) Wooi Ling, Karen, Lai Yee, Adriane & Poh Gaik

(Seated, from left) Lynnette, Swee Hoon & Seok Teng