An Occasion | Ashleigh Word
I was sitting in my room the other day, working on my homework, noticing the clutter everywhere: the papers strewn on the floor; pens which should be in a cup holder, but instead lie upon my desk in masses; even my clean, unfolded laundry, still in the basket. While considering how much cleaning I needed to do, I noticed the pictures above my desk – the reminders of my whirlwind experiences this past year. Yet one picture caught my eye: three plain white cars, parked side by side. This picture isn’t exciting. It wasn’t taken in an exotic country and no one is making a goofy face. It is merely three white cars, parked in a row, in the school parking lot.
Those three cars belong to my two best friends and me, and they were not parked as such due to some ploy to take the “perfect picture.” Oh no. Those cars were parked there out of sheer dumb luck, well, as much of luck as it can get when the school chose where we were to park. Those were our assigned parking spots, and somehow, the three of us ended up next to each other. The day that picture was taken was to be one of the last we were all parked together. Now all that remains are empty parking spaces.
Funny how life goes, huh? Humans spend the first eighteen years, making friends and building relationships, only to have to abandon it all – to leave empty spaces where friendships once remained. They leave their little bubbles of friends and family in order to grow and be independent – to lead their own lives.
At first I was indifferent and couldn’t wait to attend college and experience life. Then confusion and sadness began to seep in. Questions filled my mind: “Why did I have to leave my friends? They’ve always been there for me, and now I have to meet new people even though my introverted personality isn’t comfortable with it? Where are Catherine and Brittany when I need them?” The answer: nowhere near me, that’s for sure. Instead, they have each other in Reno, and I have no one in Podunkville, Utah.
Then I realized I was wrong. I still have them, they just happen to be a little farther away than usual. Just because change occurs, does not mean I won’t have the same support from them I’ve always had. They may be over 600 miles away, but they are still my friends. The only two people in the world I tell absolutely everything to. They remain my support system despite the fact our cars are no longer parked side by side. The spaces aren’t empty – I have a picture to prove it. Instead, the friendships have grown and developed as life has developed. Cat, Brit and I may never be like the three white cars again – in the same place, at the same time - but we will always be friends because we know friendship isn’t about remaining the same; its about gaining our individual lives, going our separate ways, but loving each other, helping each other, no matter what life brings.
Those three cars belong to my two best friends and me, and they were not parked as such due to some ploy to take the “perfect picture.” Oh no. Those cars were parked there out of sheer dumb luck, well, as much of luck as it can get when the school chose where we were to park. Those were our assigned parking spots, and somehow, the three of us ended up next to each other. The day that picture was taken was to be one of the last we were all parked together. Now all that remains are empty parking spaces.
Funny how life goes, huh? Humans spend the first eighteen years, making friends and building relationships, only to have to abandon it all – to leave empty spaces where friendships once remained. They leave their little bubbles of friends and family in order to grow and be independent – to lead their own lives.
At first I was indifferent and couldn’t wait to attend college and experience life. Then confusion and sadness began to seep in. Questions filled my mind: “Why did I have to leave my friends? They’ve always been there for me, and now I have to meet new people even though my introverted personality isn’t comfortable with it? Where are Catherine and Brittany when I need them?” The answer: nowhere near me, that’s for sure. Instead, they have each other in Reno, and I have no one in Podunkville, Utah.
Then I realized I was wrong. I still have them, they just happen to be a little farther away than usual. Just because change occurs, does not mean I won’t have the same support from them I’ve always had. They may be over 600 miles away, but they are still my friends. The only two people in the world I tell absolutely everything to. They remain my support system despite the fact our cars are no longer parked side by side. The spaces aren’t empty – I have a picture to prove it. Instead, the friendships have grown and developed as life has developed. Cat, Brit and I may never be like the three white cars again – in the same place, at the same time - but we will always be friends because we know friendship isn’t about remaining the same; its about gaining our individual lives, going our separate ways, but loving each other, helping each other, no matter what life brings.
posted by Ashleigh Word | 8:17 PM
1 Comments:
I agree that friendships never change! I have a friend who e-mails me or texts me at least once a week. It is people like her and your two friends, Brittany and Catherine, that help make us who we are. Those friendships that we created and worked on since we were little- even those that end- have designed our personalities and our lifestyle. That is why you are capable of living on your own away from them.
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