Friendships Past and Present

I was stuck in horrible traffic last Friday and I started thinking about all the friends I was close to in High School and how i am not close to any of them now.  I suppose I went down this memory lane because my high school reunion is this year and I was reminiscing about old friendships.  It's funny how I was so fiercely loyal to these girls and they were to me, even when we really had little to nothing in common and just irritated each other sometimes.  I remember thinking that I was such an adult and could handle not only the intricacies of figuring myself out, but others as well. In all honesty I think it's taken a good decade to really get to know what I want out of life and who I am, and I am still discovering things.
It's just an interesting thing to think about.  I used to let people walk all over me sometimes in order to keep our friendship intact.  I wanted friends and I thought that I was a good one by doing that.  Reality check: Letting people walk all over you does not make you a good friend.  I remember one friend pointing out something that really made her mad, that I had done.  I was shocked, although what she said was true I just couldn't believe it.  I had let so many of her faults pass and would let things fester and not tell her about them. Lesson learned.  You just can't do things like that. Friendships are work, sometimes a lot of work.  And just because a friendship doesn't last, it is okay.  Not all of my friendships from high school ended with some big climatic fight.  Most of us just grew apart.  We grew up and grew into the women we are today.  I think it's great when I hear about people being friends since high school.  Although it's not my case, I hope that those people truly work on and cherish those friendships.  All of my friends no matter how far apart we have grown now, have taught me valuable lessons about people, life and myself.  So to all my girlfriends from my school days: Sabrina, Missy, Allie, Anna, Shannon, Lisa and Cambria; thank you for being a friend and allowing me to be yours in some of the most trying and exciting years of our lives.  I have also realized that quantity is not quality. I am grateful to all the friends I have today and happy to be part of their lives as they are of mine.