Friendships in your twenties

are no longer gardens watered by laughter alone,

they become forests

where only the deepest roots survive the storm.

Then life whispers

what childhood never dared to say:

history is not destiny.

The voices that once echoed your dreams

begin to speak a different language.

Some become bridges.

Some become walls.

Some become mirrors,

reflecting the version of you

you've already outgrown.

Not every smile is sunshine.

Some smiles are beautifully wrapped shadows.

Not every applause is celebration.

Some hands clap

while the heart competes in silence.

Yet,

not every goodbye has a villain.

Sometimes,

growth is a river,

and rivers do not apologize

for leaving the banks behind.

So stop stitching broken threads

into garments that no longer fit.

Stop dimming your light

to comfort eyes

that have fallen in love with your darkness.

For real friendship

is neither a chain nor a cage.

It is an anchor in the storm,

a lighthouse in the night,

a hand that corrects without crushing,

celebrates without envying,

and stays

when convenience has packed its bags.

In your twenties,

you will discover

that love sometimes wears the face of letting go.

Your circle may grow smaller,

but like gold refined by fire,

it will become stronger.

So choose the souls

that water your roots,

not the weeds

that feed on your harvest.

Because the people around you

are either architects of your tomorrow...

or silent termites,

feeding on your future

one unnoticed bite at a time.

 Vicki D'Writer 🫡🖋️