“Oh! You Changed”; Friendships.

From Friends (The series); we watched friendship from different angles. Having someone to call in tough/happy situations, different relationships, different backgrounds, loss and grief. But the end of it all they were “friends”.

My key lesson on friendships is some people might be intentional some not. One might want intimacy out of it and some pick it as is “friendship”. In comparison to relationships, we all want friends to be what we think they should be instead of accepting them as they are. But is accepting them as they are a good bet?

As always, I love opinions from different people enjoy.

Lesson 1;

“Understand that some friendships are situational; they come and go, and it’s okay to let them follow their natural course. You can outgrow a friendship without feeling superior; change is a part of life. Knowing where you stand in a friendship, similar to relationships, prevents feeling used. Have your own principles as an individual; this is rooted in self-identity and self-love that no one else can instill in you. Life operates on a give-and-take basis, and the sooner you embrace this, the better you’ll navigate through challenges without blaming external factors.”

Lesson 2;

I recently learned that I am a loyal person. When someone does something good for me, I feel a sense of indebtedness and strive to reciprocate that loyalty. This explains why I invest so much effort into maintaining friendships. However, one morning, I made a conscious decision to let go of anything that no longer served me. In the process, I lost some friends, and surprisingly, some of those losses felt like intimate breakups while others brought a sense of relief. I take responsibility for some of these fallout situations; I could have handled them better. My most significant takeaway is that friendships are transient; as I grow older and strive to be the best version of myself, I realize that I may need to leave some friendships behind. Despite my strong belief in loyalty, I’ve learned that it’s important to let go when necessary. Loyalty should not be a reason to hold onto relationships that no longer align with who I am becoming

Lesson 3;

There are different levels of friends for different scenarios. I recently went through a tragic life moment and the friends I did not expect much from are the ones who cared for me. Friendships are essential, we come together to help each other both emotional and mentally and in general life. Presence is the most effective factor, you might not know what to say or do but being available makes a bigger difference.

I recently came across a tweet that life operates on a quid-pro-quo basis, and embracing this concept will simplify our experiences. I wholeheartedly agree; despite our reluctance to admit it, life functions as a series of transactions where we invest our time and energy where we feel valued and can gain value. This principle extends to friendships as well; we expect mutual support and loyalty from our friends, which is why we keep their contact information and remember details about their lives.

However, we also live in a world that emphasizes no one owes you anything and encourages us to give without expecting reciprocity but also urging us to be intentional in our connections. This raises the question: What does this philosophy truly entail?

Friendship is what you want it to be. Don’t complicate it and learn when to walk away.