Reuniting with your long-distance friends

When making friends at school, work, or anywhere else, we seldom really think of the possibility that one day our paths will diverge in unforeseen ways. Such is the case for most human relationships, where we assume things will remain the same forever, until one day, reality comes crashing in and you realise almost all your friends are now scattered around the world, and you're suddenly on your own. Yet, as with the temporal nature of presence, absence is not permanent either, and when the fated time finally comes for you to reunite with them, it's nothing short of magical.

Reunion with your long-distance friends, for many, is a long-awaited moment that at times feels impossible. And for those of us who are lucky enough to experience it, it is almost surreal. Whether it be a carefully crafted surprise at a restaurant or waiting for hours at the airport, the mixture of emotions when finally seeing a loved one's face after spending years apart is too overwhelming to process immediately. You can't help but become overcome with emotions – emotions that have been tucked away for so long only to resurface years later.

The thing with loving people who you're apart from is that your heart starts finding ways to adapt, forcing your feelings to take a backseat. This allows us to continue functioning as normal without grief obstructing our daily activities. As a result, it may sometimes feel like you're numb to these emotions, but you realise that you're really not when you finally get the chance to speak to those people again, and you're reminded of all the memories of the good old days.

The days and weeks that follow are a culmination of years' worth of hopeful planning, where you get to recoup all the lost time and catch up on each other's lives. It's truly one of the most fun as well as intimate times, as you get to learn about all the ridiculous and exciting escapades your friends went on, how they managed to adjust to living in different environments, and witness how they've evolved as people. Nothing is more inspiring than seeing the people you grew up with becoming independent and carving out a life for themselves.

Furthermore, it's even more exciting telling them about your own life and watching their reaction to the person you've become. You gain more respect and a deeper love for each other, which only strengthens the friendship.

This more mature, fully-formed appreciation for each other can be reflected in our future outlook, as we accept the fact that their presence is still temporary, and we'll have to bid adieu one day again. This realisation is bittersweet, as you dread the pain of watching them leave again, but find solace in the fact that they're now far more equipped to take on life than they ever were before. They'll be out there forging a future that is worth all this pain, and that's the biggest motivation for us to do the same. Because in the end, nobody is meant to stick around forever, but the memories, the love, and the camaraderie certainly are.

Rafid is protecting his peace a bit too much. Annoy him at rafidkhandaker@gmail.com.