A friend need not be kept either within sight or within reach. A friend must be allowed the freedom to find and follow his own path. If one is fortunate, those paths will for a time join. But if the paths separate, it is comforting to know that a friend still graces the universe with his skills, and his viewpoint, and his presence. For if one is remembered by a friend, one is never truly gone.
Call it coincidence, but this was a really timely quote found in a really random place. (A WPM test, lol?)
About to have a hard conversation with one of my closest friends about the future of our friendship, and it'll determine if our paths will start to diverge or continue together.
We're both seeking to solve the same essential problem in our lives, which is what brought us closely together over the years, but our approaches towards achieving this same goal are quickly becoming very opposite.
I know my friend's way will bring him grief in the long run -- it's a fundamentally unhealthy way to approach the problem, if I understand correctly -- but I'm not his dad, and choosing for him is not my role. Each has the freedom to find his own path, so I'm willing to let my friend go his chosen way if that's the best way for him to learn.