"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." 

— Roald Dahl

Lifelong bonds are rare indeed.  In the hustle & bustle of this fast paced life, having true friends and family who will always stick by your side is honestly life's greatest gifts.  I really believe that if you have five people by your side who would drop everything for you, well you are a lucky soul.

I learned later on in my college career what it truly means to have people stand by your side.  I spent a lot of my early years at Auburn figuring out who I was.  I had a few of those "what was I thinking moments", hurt people close to me and wasn't always proud of how I acted.  But, I eventually grew as a person.  A person that, for the most part, I am very happy with today.  ( Although I always have more growing to do )

But as I went through the growing pains, and as I went through my years at Auburn, there was a very simple pattern-  the people who I thought were closes to me slowly starting dropping like flies.  I found myself at my last year at Auburn with a much different social life than my first year- with a much different dynamic of friends- and a much smaller circle.  The social circle dwindled for many reasons, I know...  but the truth is, that in my years at Auburn I grew a lot- I changed a lot- and I experienced a lot. 

But, even though my large social group has dwindled down to a handful, I find my life much richer and fuller than it was when my calendar was full every weekend.  Slowly I began to realize that much of the people I had run around for the last several years only ran around me because there was excitement going on- a party to go to, a football game to attend, a social hour.  Those people that I surrounded myself with on the weekends didn't care about getting to know me- they just cared that there was something to do and something to see.  There was a motive to a friendship other than just the friendship itself.

The friends that are left standing by me, care.  They care to know about the happy times- and the good times- and the sad times- the low times.  They care, even though we have had our differences, and even when we don't see eye to eye.  I realized that life isn't always about the quantity, but more about the quality- and, I know I am very lucky.

  

It always stings for awhile when people walk out of your life- sometimes I still have trouble letting go of friendships that somehow have fallen through the cracks.  I even grieve about lost friendships.  There is something sad to me about losing touch- losing a connection to a person.    What I am learning though, is that even with the hustle and bustle we can all make sometime for the people we love.  The people in my life enrich my life by allowing me to be a part of theirs.  And, it feels good to know that not only do I have friends for a lifetime- but that I have the opportunity to be a support system to wonderful people throughout this life.    

I don't have to play a guessing game anymore on who I can count on- I feel blessed, to already know.  For that, I am forever thankful.