Nurture Your Friendships, Even From Afar

Rebecca Zeines
Jul 23, 2017 · 2 min read

Switzerland was my home for the better part of the last 20 years. Even if I no longer live there, people I care for still do.

From the number of years that I lived in Geneva, you’d expect there to be a longer list than the half-a-dozen people I try to spend time with whenever I go back.

But that short list of humans represents some of the most precious and long-lasting connections I’ve ever made.

They’re friends met as a child, a teenager, and a young adult. They saw me through that rough patch that was puberty, comforted me when my stepfather passed, supported me when I argued with my mom, helped me move into my first home, saw me fall in love, and held my hand when that love ended.

We laughed, cried, lived, and loved together for years. We trusted each other with secrets, comforted each other with stories, joked about ridiculous encounters, and went on adventures together.

Whenever I make it back to Geneva, I make sure that these friends know that I’m coming. I do my best to devote at least one full morning, afternoon, or night to spend hours catching up and just enjoying each other’s company. We get to be together so rarely, it matters more that we can in that moment.

So, despite no longer living there, I make sure that my friends know that I care for them. Modern technology has been a huge help for that, and it’s probably one of the things I’m most grateful to be alive in these times for.

Every once in a while, we send each other messages with random facts of our days.

Every once in a while, there’s some big news. A new job, a graduation, a breakup, a shift in life.

Even at a distance, they’re there for me.

Even at a distance, I’m there for them.

These bonds are precious, and I refuse to let them go because of distance.

Instead, I make sure that the people I love never have an ounce of doubt that that’s how I feel towards them.

Dear friends in the world, I love you.

Rebecca Zeines

Written by

Copyeditor, Dreamer, Agile Facilitator and all-around joyful misfit

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