I remember once when my best friend and I nearly parted ways. It seems that any good friendship has that inevitable moment when things get really serious really quick. And this was definitely one of those moments.
We were standing on a pier in the dark with a group of friends. It was late - the sun had gone down at least a couple of hours ago, and we were a bunch of bored teenagers looking for something to do on a summer night after youth group. I remember someone brought up this crazy idea of jumping off the pier into the water. I also remember looking at this water and looking around and remembering all sorts of stories about things that live there and about people that had jumped and landed on something and were paralyzed and all kinds of terrible things. I remember fear.
And then I remember that my best friend decided that she was going to jump off. She definitely had her reasons and it was one of those things she just had to do. But I just did NOT agree at all. I got mad. I told her it was a dumb idea. I told her I wouldn't give her a ride home. And ultimately, I left. She felt that she did what she needed to do, and I felt that I did the same.
It was in that moment that we were both standing on the edge of a pier. And we both jumped. Things were different after that moment. We came to the realization that friendship is not easy. We were able to work things out and still be friends, but I'm sure we still look back at that day with different views. What followed was a very serious week. There was soul searching. Yes. There was soul searching because of jumping off a pier.
Strange as it is, I don't regret that day. I don't regret that either of us made the decision that we did. It's never easy.
It's never easy to decide that you're going to stand up to your best friend and hold on to your beliefs even if it might alter the friendship. But sometimes it's a risk worth taking. It's never easy to lose someone close to you to something as nasty as cancer. But sometimes you have to let go. It's not easy to pack up and leave everything you've ever known and take on a new job in a new city. But sometimes you have to take that risk at the hope of something better.
And in the middle, God will hold your heart. Even if it's not easy.
