Hey friends,
This is yet again another before-the-sunrise Sunday Scoop issue.
This week, I want to share a bit about friendships, in particular, long-terms ones and maintaining them.
Yesterday, I finally caught up with one of my closest friends back in High School @prabalg27 on his birthday. (You’re welcome for the 🔌plug.)
On my drive back, I gave some thought to our friendship and took some time to reflected on the roles we played in each others’ life.
We’ve known each other since 2014 and this year marks the 7th year of our friendship. Let’s have a quick run-through of the highlights through the years.
2014
Trying to break the ice since we came from different Primary Schools
Significant animosity towards the end due to petty issues and involved a huge load of drama (which we now constantly look back and laugh at; but seemed very real in 2014)
2015
Often referred to as the ‘turning point’ of our friendship - for some reason he realized I was a nice person (lol)
I was elected Junior Head Prefect and he was the Junior Counselor 3
Went on a #Productivity streak (doing homework, completing practice booklets, etc) since we were deskmates
Binged TVD together
2016
He became really famous and joined the KKK; I was (still am) perfectly happy being ‘introverted’.
Became a bit of a ‘confidant’ for him
2017
I was elected Senior Secretary and then Senior Assistant Head Prefect
HUGE fights due to Prefectorial Board issues
Good memories were few and far between
2018
Good times all around
Compiled a great
2019-2021
He went to Melbourne and I left for KYUEM
I’m a terrible texter but managed to maintain the friendship nonetheless
Caught up every couple of months just to check if each other is alive and ended up talking about dumb stuff
I’ve always believed that to keep is more important than to make friends.
Maintaining friendship is almost like investing. We have to split our capital into different investments to increase the value of our portfolio.
Similarly, even if we somehow have unwearable social battery (which we do not), we all have limited time. We then have to dedicate selected portions of our time to different people to increase the value of our life (which I believe is derived from people, as referred to in the previous newsletter).
Make smart investments. Select friendships that will wear well; if they are new at first, it is some consolation they will become old.
I believe the ultimate hallmark of friendship is not improvement, neither of ourselves or our friends. The ultimate hallmark is witness each others’ growth, to have walked with them and to have believed in them, and sometimes just to have accompanied them for however brief a span, on a journey impossible to accomplish alone.
Thank you for playing a vital role in the person I am today.
Thank you for accepting that I’m a terrible texter with a never-ending to-do-list; yet never letting this friendship fade into the background.
Thank you for 7 years.
Happy birthday, Brother. 🥂
Jia Shing.