Rekindle

Recently, I was able to spend some time rekindling a friendship... A childhood friend, that meant the world to me during elementary school. My parents were divorced and I lived with my father who worked long hours. This friend and his family met my needs of a welcoming and accepting environment during those formative years. Unfortunately, his father passed away when we were in just the 5th grade. Shortly thereafter, my father remarried and moved our family to Milpitas, CA. I've always felt uneasy about our friendship coming to a halt during such a crucial time in his life. I wished that I could have given back the friendship he had given me when he needed it the most but, there was no email or texting, and we simply lost touch. Recently, our paths crossed again and we were able to reconnect. 
I see professionals everywhere who have come together by all walks of life. I see myself and my friend in so many of the students we serve and sometimes, I see the negative circumstances played out in their lives at no fault of their own. 
Now as grown adults, my friend and I can decide the fate of our friendship from this point on. While we didn't have the chance to decide that fate as children.