Friendships

What makes a friendship last? I am sure this is an age old question. Through my many travels and moves in this life. I have made many friendships. I have often wondered, how is it some relationships can survive distance and change, while others don't. Does it depend on the personality type? Have I been in touch with some friends I met overseas due to my desire to keep in touch? Do they share this desire? For many years I would send mail to a number of friends over seas. Gradually, the replies went down and eventually I was only sending them a Christmas card. My good friend from Scotland was always a wild card. I have received maybe 4 letters from him in ten years. Yet somehow, I continued to mail letters to him on a regular basis. Maybe it was my desire to hear about the many grand adventures my friends were having after I left Europe. He traveled throughout the continent and lived in Austria and London for awhile. Thanks for Face book, I have recently found more friends from that time of my life. Some, I never thought I would see again! And the adventures they have had! I love the way things turned out for me, I couldn't ask for more. I do wish we would have taken a trip to Europe together before kids. That alone is my only regret. We will go someday. I wonder what Elle will be like with relationships and friendships.
Each move I has brought new people into my life. Each time, those people have touched my heart in their own individual way. As the years go by, memories fade. Some stand out more than others. I feel drawn to those and compelled to write. I wonder how their lives have changed since I left.
I have also been curious if the relationship would have changed had I not moved. I did experience this while in a location, but only a couple of times. Why does the relationship change? Due to new people coming into your life? Or is it me? Have I become less of a friend? Do I show too much interest in this person? Not enough? I guess no matter what, you always have your family. Immediate family I should say, even extended family member relationships can change. Distance is created and it just isn't the same.
All I can ask for is to be a good role model to Elle and teach her how to be a good friend. She is a sweet girl, but strong willed. I fear that may cause her to lose friendships. We shall see, depends on how good she is at compromise.