Over the past 11 years I have lived in 10 different places in four states (one of them two different times). I don't regret it at all, but it has meant that I have left a string of friends with whom my relationships, due to time and distance, have faded. I rarely have many friends at one time, but after that many moves it has built up.
Friends are valuable and I don't like just throwing away the relationships when one or both of us move away. I like them all and I have tried to keep up with them to some extent over the years. One of my priorities for this year is to bring intentionality to my relationships. So I decided to make a system for keeping up with my friends.
First I made a list of everyone I could think of through all my journeys over the past decade that I had developed a meaningful relationship with. Then over the past week I've been contacting them a couple a day. Sending them texts, or emails, and even a couple old fashioned letters. Whatever communication medium would be best suited for that person. I'm setting reminders to go through the process again periodically in order to continue the process of staying in touch with them.
I'm sure I've missed a few people, but I'll add them over time as I remember them. The responses I've gotten though have been very encouraging. Good friends are hard to find and it's a shame to let them go just because geography got in the way.
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