But the case of child friendship lasting up until adulthood is greatly dependent on several factors, and I will talk about a few that I can think of.
The first one I'll like to mention is the thing that sparked that friendship in the first place. For some kids it could be where they met. Maybe at daycare, kindergarten, the playground, or anywhere that kids go to. It could have been that one person offered the other something they thought they needed, or one just started talking to the other. Basically, kids can become friends by just about anything. But as they grow up and begin to have more understanding about life and their own individual circumstances, things start to change in their minds and in their hearts. It could be a change of neighbourhood, loss of a loved one, or any significant life changing circumstance. All of those parts put together has the potential of making, shaking, or even ending childhood friendships. Either of them could begin to see life differently from the other. They will meet new people that resonates more with their new found perspective of life and begins to bind with them. And like chemical reactions, for new bonds to form, sometimes old ones have to break.
A personal example is that of I and my childhood best friend. I can't really remember how we became friends, but I can't remember my childhood without her. The few things I remember is that we looked a lot alike, we enjoyed the same kind of play, and I recall our parents started buying matching outfits for use. We were inseparable then. And yes, her grandmother's house was close to my house in the village and she always came to visit. But when I moved to the city, things began to change. I made new friends, though I couldn't count anyone of them as my best friend. We only got to see each other during the Christmas holidays when I travelled to the village as is our custom here. But as time went by, she too left for the city, and I stopped travelling to the village for years. That is how we lost touch and contact. Even now that I've started travelling to the village again as an adult and I see her, the connection is not there anymore. We just say hi, ask the usual check up questions and go our different way.
Can childhood friendships survive adulthood? My genuine answer is that it's a 50-50 chance, given the circumstances for survival are present, or the the individuals involved are willing to keep the love alive.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. See you soon. 🤗
