Years ago I lost contact with my childhood friend. I remember her getting married and having her first kid. At that point in my life, I had big dreams. I wanted to become something, a businesswoman and travel around the world. Get out in the world and do something.

How to appreciate life by having an attitude of gratitude.

Marriage at that point wasn’t for me and having a child was even further away. There comes a point in life where you have to go your separate ways. So quietly we parted. My childhood friends have always been on my mind whenever good thing or bad things happen. I always thought about the things we been through and how we stuck out.

Recently I got in contact with my childhood friend again. By coincident, I ran into her sister and got her number.
I called her and found out that just like me. She was starting her own business only she was in the process of opening her cafe.
It wasn’t possible to meet up since we were both busy, but we kept in touch during this time.

The other day I finally got the chance to visit her café The South Harbour Cafe. That she chose to open in our old neighborhood.

When I first came to the cafe and met her, It was as if time stood still. She looked exactly like she use to. As if 12 years ago hadn’t passed. It was such a surreal experience. It felt like I’ve gone back in time and we were just there. Right there where everything had ended.

She was busy managing things that needed her attention, so I sat down to wait for her. While she was working, I saw myself back on her doorstep, waiting to pick her up for school. I use to wait for her in the doorway while she combed her hair and fixed her ponytail. Then waited some more. While she put on her boots and adjusted her shoelaces before continuing to put on her jacket and her schoolbag. If she hadn’t eaten breakfast, her mother would come out with bread for both of us. And we would be off for school. This routine, this memory might not sound as something huge. But for me waiting for her was filled with anticipation that we were going to spend the whole day together.

Seeing my childhood friend and talk to her made me immensely happy. She was smiling as always and still had the same uncontrollable laugh. I love that even though she have matured, she still has the go-getter mindset. Nothing can hold her back.
Everything in the cafe was built from scratch; everything was done exactly as she had seen it and wanted it. The place was filled with love, and you felt the homely feeling right when you stepped in. For me the stepping back in time and be right where we have always been was priceless.

At the same time, it also made me sad, to think how much of her life. I have missed out. When I left everything behind. I just wanted to get out of the neighbourhood. Didn’t care what I left behind. I just wanted out and just go after my dream. I never realized that once I said goodbye so much time would go by.

There are so many things I missed out on. I never manage to see her getting her second baby, or see her kids grow up. Last time I saw her she had just given birth to her boy who is 12 today.
Time flies and I missed out. I missed out on all the important things in her life. When she went through her struggles, when she had her second kid, when she started working on her business idea. She never left my mind, but I never reached out. We are still good friends but far from where we use to be.

What I have learned from this is. Never be afraid or too busy to reach out to people you miss or love. People move on and before you know time have passed. And you might find yourself somewhere where you have to start over. For time waits for no one.

Read more about how to appreciate important people in your life.

Today I’m happy I reached out. Seeing her brought back all the great things in my childhood, that I had put aside as a good memory. I still remember all the crazy things we did like it was yesterday, all the basketball we used to play. When I saw my friend time finally stood still. I felt like the little kid again who just want to play one more game before having to go home.