In addition to the weekly fiction writing prompts on Write on Edge, there is also a weekly non-fiction or memoir writing prompt called “Remembe(red)” (Write on Edge used to be known by a different name…”The Red Dress Club” I think it was.)
This weeks Remembe(red) prompt as about friendship. Four hundred words exploring a friendship, past or present.
Enjoy:
When you walked into my life, I never thought we’d become what we have. Me with my judgmental, depressed, unforgiving attitude. You with your insightful wisdom and huge, open heart. We were never meant to be friends. How could it even work, two souls, so different from each other?
You saw things in me that I didn’t even know were there. You coaxed them out of me, gently, cautiously. You had all the time in the world. You helped me to see things clearly. Helped me to open my own heart – more importantly, my own mind – to the world around me and the possibilities that surrounded me. You helped me to become a better person. And the best part is you never even tried. You did all this simply by being there, simply by loving me for whom and what I was…even when I couldn’t love myself.
I don’t know if you even realize how much you affected my life…how much you affected me. In so many ways, I would not be the man I am now, if it hadn’t been for you.
You moved away and it broke my heart. The emptiness I felt at your absence was too much for me to bear and when you came back the world was right again. So naturally, I moved away and when I did, I knew I’d never see you again and it broke my heart all over again. I knew it was something I had to do, though, for me. I knew I’d never have you all to myself and I couldn’t hold myself back hoping that would change.
Fate brought us together again and for one beautiful day, each year it was like we had never been separated. I cherished those days; counted the minutes until we would be together again. Until Fate intervened again, putting an end to those days and now I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again.
I think of you often, and not just because of Facebook or Words with Friends. I know you think of me often, too. You are my dearest friend and I cherish our relationship, knowing that no matter what, no matter when I see you again, it will be as if no time has passed at all. Thank you for that.
Riggledo 
The most special friends are the ones who you may not be able to be with on a daily basis yet you don’t skip a beat the moment you’re back together. I’m all about telling them how you feel these days. I think they know but…
I think you’re absolutely right. I’m sending a link to this post! (Amazingly, she doesn’t read the blog regularly….)
I, too, have those friends that I see so infrequently, but it is as if the conversation never stopped when we do meet up again. I also mourn them when they are gone, possibly forever. Sometimes life changes and we can’t stop that. (I’m #44 in link up).
Darn it!!!
What an awesome tribute to your friend. Sounds like a very special person. Getting old sucks. Life gets in the way of seeing the people we care about as often as we would like.
I’ve know this person for almost 18 years. We were still just kids when we met. You’re right. We’ve each grown up and developed our own lives. She has a husband and kids. We live 1800 miles apart and no longer have significant reasons to travel to each others towns. Time marches on, and often takes friend sin different directions. A lot of times that means an amicable, natural end to the friendship. In this case, the connection remains even if the proximity does not.
It’s so hard when there is someone in your life who, all along, you just assume will be there forever. And then suddenly they’re not. You think you’ll never be the same, and really, you’re not. But a piece of that person stays with you always no matter how far apart you are and you realize you are so much better because of the time you had together.
You are so right!