A Box Full of Letters

With the new house move, I got my hands on a box full of letters — collected, read, and re-read through-out the years. This collection of keepsakes brought memories that made me smile, laugh, cringe, wonder, but most importantly grateful.

Photo credit: girlterest.com

Let me share some of my realizations…

Some things remain the same.

I saw letters dated 1999 and those addressed to me for my 11th birthday. That’s how far back I got to look back. Yet, in all of the years that passed by, some things (or people in this case) remain the same. And I’m glad they did.

Perhaps you’ve met them too. That High school barkada who cheers you on, tells you you’re wonderful, wants nothing but for you to be happy, not afraid to apologize when they’re at fault, and most importantly reminds you of God’s presence in your life.

If you have, I encourage you to thank God for them every single day and to make an effort to keep them a constant part of your life. It need not take a grand vacation to keep the friendship alive, just make an effort to catch-up on what’s happening in their lives. Be there for them, the same way they have been for you through-out the years.

Some things are bound to change.

I am surprised at the depth of gratitude and promises expressed in some of the letters because I’m not even aware about the current whereabouts of its sender. So we were that close at one point in time but have drifted apart. Some promised to keep in touch even after high school, to make me as one of her bridesmaids when she gets married, and to set our future kids as playmates. Those are big promises!

Now, I’m not walking down the path of regret and start agonizing over what went wrong and why there’s this huge distance between me and these once-upon-a-time-dear-friends.

What I’d like to take with me is the hope that I have made a difference, albeit small, in their lives… the joy that both of our lives are forever changed for the better because of that brief encounter… and the resolve to be intentional so that these good relationships don’t just crumble and fade away in time.

In all of these, I know God has brought these people in my life for a reason. My prayer is that He will open and strengthen my heart that I may continually and untiringly love them. At the same time, I hope for that courage to reach out and rekindle friendships if He asks me to.