guilty

I recently commented on a friend's page asking why he never writes back. I worked with him at my summer internship and even before that. I haven't heard from him since I left Florida until the other day when he replied with this introduction:

"Subject line: My bad"
"You mean to tell me that we were supposed to keep contact even after we left Southwind. That is such a foreign concept to me. The reason I haven't written back is because I take joy in just reading what is going on in your lives, such as your story about the funeral many months ago. Honestly, it is a selfish characteristic of mine in which I leach off your lives but fail to reciprocate and inform you of all the details of me. Thank you for your gentle reminder that friendships are not a one way affair."

I have some thoughts in response to his comment. First, I was unbelievably excited to hear from him and what he's been doing since August. Second, I think the word choice of "leach" was very strong, cutting right to the matter. In fact, it slice right to my third comment of how much I can relate to his comments because I myself can be a "leach" at times. For me, excuses come in the form of work and school. But relationships are reciprocal and my friend, though he is right, should not feel bad that he has not been the best at reciprocating them. I, myself, am not so great at it. Thank God and Greyhound for honesty. And for responses.