Tree to be me.

Being back in the town I grew is good. I like it here: the sun, the sea, the space, the trees, the family, the friends.

The friends.

The friends I made in my years here seem to peel away, drop off with every visit. Do I care? A little, I admit. It's a small rejection and it does dent the ego.

Some here continue to lovingly embrace the friendship we share, to nurture it. Others seek to develop a friendship, carefully planting the seeds for what will thrive for years or bloom only briefly. And there are those who don't seem to do much at all.

To encourage new growth, I suppose the old does need to peel away, to drop off. Friendships do expire. I know this. I don't know why the aftershocks of loss still hit me.

I'm glad I have friendships that exceed my high expectations. Pushing ever upwards towards the sun, it's these friendships that keep me growing.