our december sun is setting

relationships are based on establishing intimacy. we meet someone and over time, long or short, we begin to feel connected. barriers come down and we confide in each other. there is great freedom in true intimacy. words are honest and direct, there are no ulterior motives. our actions are unguarded. we are free to simply be. then, sometimes, that intimacy begins to crumble. it may be a harsh word, a lie, a fight, or sometimes simply nothing at all. it just happens. we lose our faith in the relationship and everything changes. each word is carefully chosen and often stifled. actions are strategically planned. slowly, the relationship we once cherished becomes nothing more than a memory.

thankfully, there are those relationships that maintain their intimacy in spite of time, distance, tragedy and everything in between.