From the People We Know to the People We Don’t

I’ve always believed that the saying “from the people we know to the people we don’t” holds some truth - though, for a long time, I never really felt it myself. My circle of friends has always been small, about five people, and we’ve stayed surprisingly consistent over the years. We don’t hang out often, and when we do, it feels like nothing much has changed.

Or at least, that’s what I thought - until I met up with one of my best friends.

She’s my best friend since we're in high school. Even though she’s married now, she’s always seemed the same - her laugh, her energy, her warmth. But during one of our hangout, something unexpected happened. She ordered shisha.

I was honestly stunned. I never imagined her doing that. As it turns out, she learned it during her diploma days. Watching her and her husband sharing it so casually made me realize how much life happens in the years we don’t see each other - how much people grow and shift without us even noticing.

Since then, I’ve started to notice small changes whenever we meet - in her words, her way of thinking, her expressions. And now that she’s a mother, I can see even more change in her - in her sense of responsibility, her warmth, her gentle maturity. They’re subtle, but enough to remind me that time is always moving forward, quietly reshaping us.

And it’s not just her. Another friend from our group has changed too.

Back in high school, she was known for her sensitive heart and hot temper. Honestly, I never thought we’d stay close after school - she had her own circle, and I had mine. But somehow, we found our way into the same group again as adults.

Over time, I noticed something different about her too. She’s calmer now, more open. The same friend who used to get easily hurt or mad at jokes now laughs things off more easily. Her temper hasn’t completely disappeared, but it’s softer - like a fire that’s learned how to warm instead of burn. It’s actually beautiful to see that kind of change in someone you’ve known for so long.

Whenever I sense these changes in my friends, I sometimes feel a little distance - a small space between who they are now and who I remember them to be. Other times, I feel impressed, even proud. But it never affects our bond. Our friendship remains strong, just layered with new versions of ourselves.

Still, it makes me wonder. Maybe it is possible for us to slowly become strangers in some ways - not because we stop caring, but because we’re always evolving. It’s impossible for anyone to stay exactly the same after a decade of living.

And maybe even I’ve changed too, in ways I don’t realize. Maybe my friends notice things in me that I can’t see myself.

So yes, perhaps one day we might become different people from the ones we once knew. But maybe that’s okay - because every time we meet again, we get the chance to rediscover each other.