Two months ago I had a fairly unpleasant incident with a friend of 35 years. I’m thankful we care enough about each other to have talked through our misunderstanding and come to a resolution—albeit a tearful one. We vowed to never let that sort of thing happen again.
However, I’ve wondered since then if our friendship has been tarnished.
Do we bob, weave and tiptoe around each other, wary of instigating another misunderstanding and therefore are not as open and honest as before? I hope this isn’t the case. However, I’m conscious of the fact I weigh my words much more than before. I am fearful of causing another kerfuffle yet I don’t want either of us to gloss over things that should be talked about.
Of course, it could be we simply burnished our long-lasting friendship. Possibly the melting of defenses after the exchange of angry words served to polish some rough edges we hadn’t realized were there.
Maybe there’s some new understanding between us now which casts a softer and more mellow light on the lovely friendship we’ve forged through these years. That’s my hope and I plan to talk this over with my friend as soon as possible. It’s important that our friendship not lose its luster.
Beautiful and rich is an old friendship,
Grateful to the touch as ancient ivory,
Smooth as aged wine, or sheen of tapestry
Where light has lingered, intimate and long.
Full of tears and warm is an old friendship
That asks no longer deeds of gallantry,
Or any deed at all—save that the friend shall be
Alive and breathing somewhere, like a song.
~ Eunice Tietjens 1889-1944
