Time

I reconnected with an old friend on SM who means a lot to me. He ended up sharing a serious health scare he recently experienced and surpassed. I instantly felt a wave of emotions; love, worry and relief that he was okay. I’m glad we get a second chance to enjoy our friendship.

It also brought things into perspective. Our most valuable resource as humans is time. Yet, even though we’re fully aware of how fleeting it is, we tend to take it for granted. I’m especially guilty of putting off seeing people I care about because I get too busy or wrapped up in my new start.

In honor of my friend, I’m going to stop taking the time I have with people I care about for granted. I’m going to practice intent and make the time to see them. I have been fortunate that new acquaintances frequent the place where I live but it has led me to a place of complacency with those that aren’t as easily accessible.

Seeing myself reflected in the eyes of my old friends is a surreal but welcome experience. Our memories permeate the air around us as we pull each other into the present with stories of times we missed, while feelings of love and familiarity solidify timeless connections only those of us with a history can understand.

It’s trippy running into people after so many years. I see parts of myself in every one of them. A high school girl in a Jeep driving all over Miami. The introspective side of me that only came out around those who dwelled in equally deep spaces. Shared experiences found in every corner of a city that’s a metropolis for others but will always be nothing but a small hometown to those of us who grew up here.

When you spend, years being forced to stay inside, life can pass you by in the blink of an eye. If you don’t find the courage to walk out into the sunshine, you risk being trapped in darkness and losing individuals you love. It’s a learned habit I need to break and may have contributed to me being forced to walk away from the person I cared about most in my new chapter.

While I’m not sure if he ever even existed or was just a figment of my imagination, if I can no longer translate our emotional to a physical connection, I can avoid taking another individual I care about for granted. I will dwell in the type of friendship that inspired this post, until I either reconnect with or meet the one I’m meant to be with on level with the person I lost. No matter what life throws your way, prioritize the ones you love but only take the time with those who value you enough to do the same. Your time is too valuable to waste on anything less.