For the first time in..well, ever, I'm able to sit here and look back on everything that has happened in the last few years, all of the people that have walked in and out of my life, and been able to hold back the tears and smile. I think I'm finally understanding (really, this time) that life is all about change, that there are going to be people that you think are going to be there forever and then you wake up one day and suddenly they're not. Sometimes no matter how bad you want to, you can't bring those people back into your life. You can't force yourself to live that way: always living in the past and hoping that someday things will be like that again. Nothing will never be the same, and that's sad because it was great while it lasted, but that's what growing up is all about. Seriously, in less than 2 years we're going to be graduating from high school. We're going to take off to places all over the country and start over again. How many people from high school are you seriously going to stay in touch with? Two? Maybe three? Five if you're lucky?
The truth is, nothing lasts forever. Change is inevitable. It can't be stopped or postponed to suit you. People won't stick around forever. They'll leave. Some will go by choice, others will slowly fade away, and others will just be taken away from us before we even get to utter our last apologies and "i love you's" or consider what life will be like without them. We know that by now. We've seen it all happen and it will continue to happen for as long as we're alive.
That's really all I have to say. I'm very much at peace with everything right now. It feels good.