I recall the incident very distinctly. The night was warm and the air humid, as I sat across from my friend at a small and cute cafe, drinking our favourite lattes. One day we were having one of those serious discussion when out of nowhere she decided to surprise me with some shocking news. “Actually, I feel like I shouldn’t hide it from you, lately I have been feeling like you are slowly distancing yourself from me,” she said frowning.
In my chest, I had this sort of warm yet unpleasant sensation that coursed through my body – like a ride at the fun fair, or the contraption which my heart became when terror struck it with its icy hand. Yet within the secrecy of my thoughts, I knew that she was right. You know I have been rather out of touch for the past few months due to work and personal issues and as a result we have not been very good friends recently.
I attempted to shrug it off humorously and find reasons for my conduct. But she wasn’t going to take any of it. I never really took her seriously until she looked me in the eye and said… “I hold our friendship dearly, and I cannot allow it to be taken for granted. I need you to support me not just physically but emotionally as well. ”
I was stung by her words like a ton of bricks. And then it struck me that I have been self-centered and inconsiderate to take her for granted. I realized that I was only thinking of myself and concerns without being able to understand the impact of my actions on other people, and especially a best friend.
I was immediately burdened by a heavy sense of guilt which accompanied by a subtle hint of shame. How could I have been so stupid?How could I have connived and allowed the situation to degenerate to this level?
I had the feeling that I have failed her, that I let her down in some way that I could never imagine. Although her truth did hurt, they were also a wake-up call for me.
It opened my eyes to my weaknesses and failures, which made me focus on correcting my errors. It helped me understand the value of truth and sincerity in a connection and you know how much it means to be true to the people you love and care about, even if the truth is bitter.
The days that followed were spent as an effort to rebuild the friendship that was once we had, and to try to make up for past wrongs. I asked for forgiveness from her and from myself for the way I treated her and assured her that I would never repeat that mistake.
And gradually, our relationship started to mend and became better than before. Her painful truth was the trigger that instantly altered the status of our relationship.
It showed me the importance of taking responsibility and learning to swallow one’s pride and be humble enough to admit you were wrong. Yes, the truth is a rather ugly thing and, most of the time, it gets unpleasant when it concerns a person. But occasionally, it is the harshest realities that result in the most positive and productive change. For that, I thank my best friend for being brutally truthful to me all the time.