We shared this past weekend with our dear friend Andrea, who is in town only briefly for a conference. He lives in France and we hadn't seen him in five years, so this visit was a wonderful treat! Andrea was the best man at our wedding. He knew us when we started dating. We were there when he started dating his now-wife, and we celebrated their wedding with them. We have known each other through so many significant life events. 15 years of friendship. Yes, the weekend visit was a gift, indeed.
So were these (thank you, Andrea!).
Seeing such an old friend had elements of bittersweetness. It made both Hubby and I aware of the invisible sacrifices of this nomadic life of ours. It's a bit tricky at best (and heartbreaking at worst) when the friends you treasure the most are scattered far across the globe. We have missed attending weddings, sharing the joy of births, offering support through loss, and simply sharing the day-to-day with our best friends. I grew up in a military family, so moving every four years or less has been the pattern of my life. Now we still move every four years or less, but it is all over the world instead of one country. We collect incredible life experiences, already more than I had ever imagined for my lifetime, but there are always sacrifices and compromises...and happy reunions, whenever we can.
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