Coming to terms with friendship.

Last night, in one of my all too common insomniac moments, DH and I began discussing friendships. He said that he wanted to become better about pushing friends away and letting friendships die. I thought he meant that wanted to try harder to keep his friends. He didn't. What DH really meant, and explained to me in the middle of the night, was that he knew that he had some friendships that had died a natural death and that he needed to allow to end.

Lately, a friend, who I would have considered close, has been going through some tough times. But, fortunately, things have turned around for her and she's headed into a much better direction than she was six months ago. It seems, however, that she's not as willing to put as much into our friendship now, now that she doesn't need a friend as badly as before. It's a friendship of convenience. It was convenient for her then, it's not now. I've found myself working incredibly hard lately to hang onto the relationship.

The conversation with DH and the status of my current friendship has me thinking. Do you think friendships are really like this? Do we sometimes hold onto them too tightly when it's past time to let them go? I'd like to think not, but then again, I don't know.

People come in and out of our lives constantly, and I've treasured each of the friendships that I've made. I love that my I have friends, one or two in particular, that I can go years without seeing, and the minute we see each other we're chatting and laughing like no time has passed at all. There are also regrets, things I know that I should have handled differently, people that I wish I hadn't hurt and been hurt by. The thing is, each of these people has had a profound impact on my life, and I wouldn't be who I am today without them.

Today's post is really just a ramble, but I'd love to hear other's thoughts on the issue of friendship.