Sunday Thoughts: Friendship

How lucky are we to have that old friend(s) still by our side? That one friend, we call when we are hurt or sad and only her funny (or sometimes stupid) comments can cheer us up. That friend who has been through a lot with us and still stood by our side, no matter what. Despite her (or his) current location, you are still on the same page. Someone who knows exactly when to tell you, that what you are about to do is either, completely stupid or the best idea in the world. Someone who knows your limits. Real friendship.

We were only turning 21 and all of a sudden, we became adults. Our weekend plans became random monthly rendezvous in a strategic location, somewhere we can “meet halfway”. Time management now plays a huge role in our distant relationship as soul mates. We work, pay those bills we never thought would catch us, we have families and other responsibilities, but we still stick together and tackle life together even though time passes and suddenly realize we haven’t met in months. It is then when we quickly scroll down our endless contact lists and firmly press the green button. Adult, friendship, divine in a completely different way. Not better, not worse. Here we are years later, having been through the good stuff and the hard stuff, still laughing about the same things we used to laugh about back then when paying bills was a thing of the future, “for old people” we use to say. One thing is clear though, our parents were very much right about the fact that time flies.

Eventually, we meet, we chat forever, we laugh and every so often even get kicked out of our chosen reunion spot. Of course, it’s just us at the place. Completely empty. Our get-together could easily be time-lapsed. People around us keep rotating while we are still in the exact position. Isn’t it fun to remember the old times? And the “new” times, of course, don’t get me wrong, but the old times though…

So today, just another (finally) mild Spring evening from my Vienna apartment, while the sun is very slowly going down, I toast for my friends. Forever grateful for their friendship. Indebted to whoever sent me those incredible humans I can now consider as part of my own family.

DEUTSCH

Was wären wir ohne unsere besten Freunde? Was ohne unseren Freunden, die uns auch in der Not zur Seite stehen? Mit dem (oder der) wir plaudern können, wann immer wir ihn (oder sie) brauchen. Der (oder die) uns kennt … und uns liebt, so wie wir sind.

Wir brauchen diese unsere besten Freunde, und sie gehören zu uns. Darum sind sie uns auch dann nah, wenn sie weit von uns entfernt sind. Wenn wir sie nur selten sehen. Wir gründen unsere eigene Familie, wir engagieren uns im Beruf, unsere Wege gehen mehr und mehr auseinander. Und doch: Freunde bleiben Freunde. Wir vermissen sie, und wir denken an sie. Dann treffen wir uns wieder. Und es ist, als wären wir noch gestern zusammengesessen. Wir erinnern uns an die lang vergessenen gemeinsamen Abenteuer. Wir lachen über die Streiche von damals. Wir reden und reden. Es ist, als hätten wir uns niemals getrennt.

Ich bin dankbar für meine Freunde. Sie sind Teil von mir. Und ich weiss: Ich kann immer auf sie zählen.