When Success Redraws Our Friendships

Like I usually say, being successful is a beautiful thing that has two faces, like a shining sword. The first side is always a reflection of all that the we have achieved in life, our work progress and pride, while the second side is filled with the power that can affect our relationship with others in a way that we have no idea about. And this is why I will refer to the popular saying that says that the real character of a person will show when you give such person power and money. With what I have seen over time, this is absolutely true.

I have seen it happen in a situation where two young boys grew up together in the same neighborhood, ate from the same plate, slept on the same bed, wore each other's clothes, laughed and struggled together, did everything in common, and all of a sudden life decided to bless the other, now doing well, and anytime you call, it goes unanswered with the excuse of 'I have been very busy.' Then you begin to wonder what went wrong. Is this not the same guy who usually borrows my outfit and I give a shoulder to cry on?

But at times, the quandary of what I said above is that that excuse might not be as a result of pride. Some changes that usually come with some success might be as a result of excessive workloads and overwhelming obligations. A new career, starting a family, expectations, a new business, and moving into another city can consume a lot of time. And even though as humans we might understand this very well, at times some will say it hurts to be left behind because we long for stability and proof that those memories we shared mattered and were more one-sided.

Like one of the posts that I recently wrote, we humans have different meanings for success, and with that comes a new circle of friends, new behavior, and sometimes a distance that no one planned for. And sometimes, some people have this mentality that once they are successful, they need to distance themselves from others, "levels don change," and not a sign of betrayal.

However, things can change eventually, and life will humble us in a way that the person who was left aside might eventually be celebrated. And this is one of the reasons why being humble is one of the greatest currencies in life. Having a genuine success is not about what we have gained or gathered but about staying true to ourselves when everything changes.

Personally, I do not have any problem when friends distance themselves at times because we are all grown up searching for a better tomorrow. Life is not easy I understand but it is always love from me anytime we hear good news about eachother. We all need grace to scale through everything.

Yes, I can say that one or two of my friends have been affected by the level of success they have, and to be honest, I have also been guilty as charged. But over time I got to realize that attaining a level of success in life should always make me more loyal, have more of humanity in me, and make me more compassionate, not erase the bond. Because at the end of it all, the money we have might not always be there, and that position we are occupying now is just for a period of time, but a real, tight, and strong friendship is like land that will continue to appreciate in value.

Thank you for reading.

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