Thy Flesh Consumed

I was at work yesterday when a song came on the radio that I hadn’t heard in a long time - Hey Jude, by The Beatles. It brought back some fond memories…

It was a quiet night by our standards, and the four of us had just spent a pleasant evening on the lawn outside my caravan - we were celebrating Steven’s birthday. Time had slipped by so quickly, we barely even noticed that the sun was starting to come up. There was I, curled up in bed with Charlotte wrapped around me; she looked so peacuful, so happy, and Amy behind me, softly singing in my ear to the Beatles album that was playing in the background. Steven, not one to miss out on a few minutes’ sleep, was dozing at the end of the bed. Not really with us, as such, but still very much part of the group. As we lay there in each others’ arms, quiety enjoying the sensation of familiar flesh, I found myself thinking, “is it really possible to be this happy?” At the time, I didn’t think so. All I could see was where it all started to go wrong; fixed in my mind like a bad omen… But looking back at those few hours, I can see I was happy. Really, truly happy.

We were great friends, the four of us, inseparable by anything but the most dire of circumstances. We spent almost every waking moment together, out partying, or just staying in and enjoying one another’s company. Of course, that’s all gone now. We’re still friends, but it’s not the same. Steven and Amy are no longer together; in fact, they were the first of the four to go their separate ways, Charlotte and I soon to follow. I still see Steven occasionally, and Charlotte nowhere near as often as I’d like. Amy is slowly fading into a distant memory… But see, that’s the thing - memories. No matter how much time passes, I’ll always have that. Friendships are destined to disappear into the mists of time, but as long as you never forget, you’ll always have that little piece to carry around in your heart.

I don’t think it’ll be the last time we four come together again, in a happy reunion, and I know it’ll be like we were never apart. The shyness all stripped away, our emotions laid bare. We know each other better than we know ourselves, and I’m grateful for the time we spent together, developing a bond that I know will never be broken, not even by the thousands of miles that separate us. In the end, distance is relative - it’s how close you feel in your heart that really counts.

Thought for the day: Charlotte, Steven, Amy, if you ever read this, know that you’ll always be in my heart, no matter what.