I remember years ago when a friend went through some tremendous life changing events. The events changed my friend tremendously, and I didn't know how to react. It was not surprising that my friend changed so much since the life changes were BIG impacting every aspect of her life. These changes also occurred at a time when my life was super busy, and that's one reason I probably wasn't as sensitive as I could have been to my friend's life changes.
I am thinking about this today as I notice several more friends going through significant life changes. I'm not exactly sure why, but at my age and in these times, many are facing big life changes. This is probably due to the COVID years, political climate, troubling world events, and a natural response for the age range I'm in.
How can I more sensitively respond to these changes?
One way I can do a better job is to sensitively rethink the relationships. Big life changes impact relationships in significant ways. For example, if a friend goes through a divorce, that may change the way you socialize with that friend. In the past, you may have seen the friend with her partner, but now, since the divorce, it's likely you'll see the friend alone and that creates some change. So I think rather than get upset about the changes or try to force the relationship to be the same as the past, it's time to renew and revitalize the relationship in new ways--ways that are positive for our relationship and supportive of one another.
I've always had a love-hate relationship with change. I love the excitement and novelty that change brings, but at the same time I miss the way things were. Thus change meets me with a myriad of emotions.
So today, I'll think about the changes amidst with many I know these days and I'll also think about how my relationships with those friends can change to keep our friendships strong and accommodate the changes in positive ways. Onward.