Issue date: 11/13/09 Section: Opinions

Wednesday night, as I finished my shift at Roc's Blackfront, I sat down at the bar to enjoy a cold one and unwind from the day. After about 10 minutes, I heard the back door open and looked over to see who it was.

I thought I had seen a ghost. My pulse raced, quickly matching the tempo of a punk rock song, I could actually feel my face go white - it was my ex-girlfriend, Amy.

Now, some explanation is required. It is not that my ex is by any means a jerk or even an unpleasant person. However, after a somewhat roller coaster relationship and a nasty break up, we had not spoken or seen each other in nearly two years.

Knowing that she currently lives in Crystal Lake, I was somewhat confused to see her in Charleston. Then I remembered it was her birthday and she was in town to celebrate with her friends - fair enough.

She approached, and I braced myself with steely resolve to be a big boy and engaged in conversation. It was awkward at first, to say the least. But after a few minutes, things loosened up and became more comfortable.

She had recently re-added me on Facebook and I was inclined to ask why, after two years, she would randomly re-establish contact. She informed me that in a few months she will be leaving the states to teach English in Taiwan and, should something happen to her, she did not want to venture half a world away with burnt bridges left behind her.

I was surprised and impressed.

We continued to talk and she expressed her interest to meet my current girlfriend. This had bad news written all up and down. But, I said, "Why not?" and went for it.

However, once my girlfriend arrived and the two made their introductions and began talking, they found they had much in common.

Dear God, I thought to myself. They are getting along - really well.

Now I was definitely afraid. Secrets would be shared; annoying things I do and have done would be compared. I felt like I was watching a train approach, and I couldn't get off the tracks.

But, to my amazement, as the night went on, we all continued to get along. We ended up at Steak n' Shake laughing and sharing stories, old and new.

It was a very enjoyable time.

And I realized that, at some point, we all have to grow up. Amy and I put our past issues and youthful stupidity behind us and began to rebuild the friendship we had long ago. We talked and realized that over the past three years we had both matured and realized that it is important to keep those who have made major impacts in our lives close to us.

Petty arguments and falling-outs are grudges that need to be forgiven and forgotten. Life is too short to hold on to the hurt that people may have caused each other in the past.

It is never too early to rebuild friendships and connections, but such a thing needs to be done before it is too late.

We all need to forgive those in our lives. I did, she did, and now we are both on our way to having an old friend back we never knew we missed.

David Thill is a senior journalism major and can be reached
at DENopinions@gmail.com or 581-7942.

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