a friendly reminder

i saw several old friends tonight
it was quite unexpected

we taught pre-school together
only for barely a year
and more than a year has passed

it is even more unexpected
that such a bond exists up to now

we had common friends
we had common enemies
we had a common lunch break
we had only that hour to be in common

while we had more than a year to be different
but still we are the same to each other

we don't see each other often
we don't talk much
we hardly even stay in contact

but its always a pleasure to hear from them
its always a delight to know they are there

it is true what they say of friends
"Friends are like wine,
they grow better with age"

even if you think you've become out of reach
even if you think none of you is thinking of each other
even if you think you have gone separate ways
... taken separate turns
... lived different lives

still we taught pre-school together
though only for barely a year
and more than a year has passed

we had a year to be different
but still we are the same to each other

friendship is some relationship
sturdier than marriage
more reliable than romance

a meeting of minds
a reverence of hearts
a value of each other's being

it does not have to be daily contact/ texts/ calls
it does not have to be flowers and chocolates
it does not have to be butterflies in the stomache

when after more than a year
someone fondly remembers you
then that has to be it