New Beginnings

My closest friend in Provo left to Texas yesterday. Hopefully, he'll be back sometime next year, but that knowledge didn't dull the pain and loss I felt last week. I've got a confession to make: I don't become close friends with people because I hate goodbyes. It's much easier to let go of people you don't know very well.

But I've discovered, from my friendship with Eric, that it is worth it to become close enough to your friends that you love them. If you don't get close to people, you don't grow. And I grew more in my five months of knowing Eric than I had in the six months before I knew him.

And another thing I've discovered from this parting is that when one person leaves, another person comes into your life to help you. That person, for me, was Nathan.

Left: Kristin
Right: Nathan

Nathan didn't take Eric's place. He isn't trying to. And I'm not trying to replace Eric. Eric is irreplaceable. But Nathan is teaching me things that Eric couldn't. Nathan's a great guy, and I look forward to a new friendship. I'm still learning to not hold back, but I'm moving forward every day, which is what's important. Nathan won't let me move backward, either.

So, here's to new beginnings, growing, and moving forward. May the next five months be as fruitful as the last five.