Chapter 73: A Quiet Shift
The Word “Friend”
I’ve been thinking about the word “friend” lately.
It’s a word we tend to give away too easily —
sometimes out of comfort,
sometimes out of habit.
But not everyone who walks beside you
is meant to stay.
Some people are just passing through,
sharing moments, not meaning.
And maybe that’s okay.
I’m learning not to be too quick
to label people as friends.
Not everyone deserves that space.
Not everyone understands what it takes
to hold it.
I guess I’ve been a little too open,
a little too easy with my kindness,
a little too comfortable around people
I thought were friends.
Maybe it’s time to return to myself —
to be a little more guarded,
a little less available,
a little more intentional with who I let in.
Not out of bitterness,
just clarity.
Some connections are real,
some are temporary,
and some are simply lessons.
It’s not new — just something I’m finally choosing to honour.