For A Friend Who ‘Lost’ Another ‘Friend’

Even if you have lost a friend,
you need not lose any friendship.

— Shilashanti

If an old friend has not contacted in a long time,
and has become uncontactable
due to his changed phone number,
should you still look for him?

Yes of course,
if there is still concern for him,
but is he still concerned about you,
or not at all?

Yes of course,
for an old friend is still a friend,
but does he still see you as a friend,
or not at all?

There is the question
of why he did not update you
with his new number,
or did he just forget?

If he could just forget you,
should you just forget him too?
Or could he have lost his old phone,
and could not update you after?

Maybe…
Or could he have simply thought
that there was no more point
to stay connected, or to look for you?

Or could he be
too down to call,
too unwell to catch up,
or even already deceased?

You will never know
what really happened,
till you bump into him (or a mutual friend),
and if he (or they) honestly explains.

To a friend who felt troubled
over a ‘missing’ friend,
‘Why not just let the attachment go?
But there is no need to let the concern go!’

It is possible
to let things be,
and to let care remain,
both at the same time.

Your true friendship remains worthy,
even if you have been unfriended,
even if deemed ‘worthless’,
even if not treasured any more.

A true friend ensures
his or her friendship with others
remains faultless forever,
even if wrongly faulted by another.

Even if you have lost a friend,
you need not gain any enmity.

— Shilashanti

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