To My Old Friends

Back in 2006

Recently someone added me to the my high school WhatsApp group. Although there were 46 members, it was unusually silent. I wrote a piece for them:

Let me tell you why this group is so silent. It’s not because we are not friends, not because we don’t like being together, not because we’ve got better friends. None of that is the reason. The point is, we’ve moved on…
Yes. Some have moved into better careers, some got happily married and some did both. Some gained weight, others lost. Some became more beautiful, others became wiser. Some became lovable and some hideous. But none have the heart to say the truth.
” You were my dear friend once and I liked to be with you. I loved all the jokes we giggled at and all those moments we frowned together. But I no longer feel that way.
I no longer connect with the new you (maybe because of the new me?). That does not mean I do not like you now or I did not like you back then, it simply means ‘time has passed’. I have made new friends and relationships though I still remember us and the beautiful moments that we shared. I like it when I see you after such a long time, it triggers those happy grey cells in me. But sadly, it stops there.
However hard I try, I cannot think of you and me today. And I think you realize what I mean. I would still love to meet you by accident and share a coffee or maybe dinner. I would love to share a story or two with you or maybe an entire day of rants and gossips. But it ends there. You were my friend and will always be but let’s keep these meets to random encounters. Let move on. Because life is about change.” This group is silent. Let it be that way. Don’t leave the group.