Transition Between Elementary School And Middle School

Decisions phase us all every day. Whether they are small decisions—such as choosing which movie to watch—or large—like saying yes to a marriage—we resolve most problems either very quickly or subconsciously. We do not think twice before deciding because we do not realize the effect it will have on us later. However, some of the choices we have to make take quite a bit of thought and consideration. My personal example of both an important and difficult decision included deciding the fate of a very important friendship of mine.
Before getting into the details, here’s a little bit of backstory on our friendship. I had been best friends with this girl since the first day of kindergarten. I cannot quite recall how we first met since it was over
In sixth grade, we barely spoke to each other as we had no classes together, but we were still best friends. We only spoke with each other during lunch, when we saw each other in the halls, and occasionally outside of school. But of course, everything went downhill from there. In seventh grade, we just stopped talking for what had felt like forever. We both made new friends and we had little to no time to talk or meet. It felt as if we had both moved on. It was like we were on two completely different planets. She and I barely had anything in common, so I felt as if there was no point in trying anymore. It was like we both started in one place, but we slowly moved in different directions as opposed to moving simultaneously like we had done previously. She still called me her best friend though, which was hard to hear since it was barely true. This went on for most of seventh grade, and I did not want to go through it anymore. It was evident that we were growing apart, and there was really no point in trying any longer. I did not know how she felt about the situation, but I knew that I felt hopeless. I knew I had to make a decision about our friendship since things were just getting more difficult for me. The remainder of seventh grade got even more unpleasant. When we spoke to each other, it was just awkward and purely insincere. It was like there was a heavy tension in the room. Multiple times I
I learned that could not live without her by my side. Going months without talking to her and avoiding contact showed how much she meant to me and how heavily she impacted my life. She was always my decision maker, rationalizing all of my problems. I also learned that I tend to ignore problems when I am faced with one, and that when something horrible comes up, I tend not to react. I just sit there quietly until the problem resolves itself or goes away and I forget about, and then it comes up to haunt me later. Additionally, time will heal. All the troubles from the past will stay in our past, and we will eventually get over it. What I learned about her is that she reacts to tough situations by plastering a fake smile on her face and acting like everything is okay, even though it is not. Our methods are obviously bad coping mechanisms, but that is the way we were made. Facing the problem head-on is a much better way to react, but doing so is harder for some—maybe even most—people. This entire situation was hard, and though it was rough, it strengthens our friendship. We have realized that we can conquer any trouble that is thrown our way. The girl I first met in kindergarten is still my best friend, and no one can ever replace