People leave

By now, I understand that it is a human tendency for people to leave other people behind. There is a famous saying for this: change is a constant phenomenon in this world. People move around to seek change. My good friend for life (since grade school) left Butuan for a work opportunity in Davao. It has been a week. I have missed him since.

Longing is the sad part of this reality, but the joy part is the pursuit of growth. Art graduated from college just this year. While he had been exposed to all kinds of work to make ends meet, the opportunity in another big city was a leap. I did not want to stop him from honing his skills and experience, so when he told me about the news, I was supportive and full of wishes.

When there is support and mutual understanding, letting someone is easy and healthy. You depart with a part of one's heart and make it your own. Such is pure friendship.

Another type of departing is one without saying goodbye and ignoring each other most of the time. We all have had a share of this. That person we wish to not talk to again to skip opening the wound we ended up stitching alone. The pain stays for as long as you allow it to linger. But after a year or so, you will heal. Even seeing or walking past them will not shiver you anymore.

How other people's actions can cause healthy and unhealthy body responses is surprising. But what is moving is how once they seemed hurtful yet evolved into a lesson.

More and more people leave your side as more and more arrive and stay. It is both a tendency and a reality.

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Drafted October 2022