Moment of Change

It's funny how one little thing, one event or one disagreement can change things for so many people. As I wrote about earlier this week, two close friends of mine have come to a disagreement that has, for all intents and purposes, ended in a complete separation of ways. The two have cut ties and decided not to pursue any form of friendship any further. While, I was able to keep myself out of the line of fire for the most part, what I have pondered on since the beginning of this entire affair is how things have suddenly changed in my social circle without me having anything directly to do with it.

Last evening, on the way home from work, I was struck a little baffled as to how to proceed from here. The current situation has made it virtually impossible to organize or attend the social gatherings we had all participated in together over the past several years without making someone in the group uncomfortable or unwilling to attend. Suddenly, where it wasn't even a question before, guest lists and invitees will have to be thoughtfully considered. In fact, some friendships may end up falling to the wayside altogether as collateral damage to the main event. It's anther paradigm shift in my social world.

It always seems to work this way, though. Change may build over time and seem inevitable after the fact; but, nearly always, there seems to be one big event or happening after which there is no turning back, there is no forgetting. Suddenly everything has changed, especially in relationships. My longest relationship turned itself completely over after I cheated on my partner. In another case, the news of a new job and a move away suddenly changed my whole perspective. In a third, I met a new love and suddenly was able to leave a destructive man behind for greener pastures. Almost always there is that moment of change, that moment of revelation that tells you that things are no longer the same.

I am a little anxious to see how everything turns out in the end, how each relationship involved here changes and either grows or falls apart. It seems almost to be a lesson in how one person's actions can affect so many others without even meaning to. But, there is perhaps no sense in worrying over it. One of my dearest friends favorite sayings is, "it'll all come out in the wash." I just hope we all don't end up stuffed in there and left so long we come out all wrinkled and worn and unwearable.