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Someone once told me that having a best friend forever is a lie. He said people grow up, move away, live their own life, and grow apart. At that time, I hated that guy. I just knew there was no way I would ever outgrow my best friend. We planned on getting married together, having kids together, and living next door to each other. We didn't want to ever live without each other. We were so naive.

When I grew up and decided to do more with my life than live with my parents forever, I joined the military. After all my training, I landed in Florida. Growing up in the middle of the United States, I lived in the same house my whole entire life. Now, I had been to Texas, to Illinois, and to Florida already. I missed my friends and I missed my family, but I was also making new friends throughout my training and during my career. At one point, I also met the man who would become my husband.

I brought my soon to be husband home to visit my family and friends after having been gone for about six months. He met my best friend, of course. Why wouldn't he, she was my best friend forever. But, he didn't like her. He found her too demanding and involved with herself. He didn't understand how we were so close, as our personalities were so different. Five months later, he and I were married. We married in a city in between his and my family, as we grew up halfway across the country from each other. She didn't come, she was too busy.

After I was married, my life changed completely. I was now a married woman, I no longer talked about dates, trying to find "the one", clothes, hairstyles, or makeup. I talked about bills, work, trying to make a new marriage work, disagreements, and, of course, all about my husband. I think it was hard for my friend to understand the things I was going through, and I found some of her talk too shallow. We began talking less and less and then reached a point where we barely talked at all. When I went back home a year later for my baby shower, she didn't even see me. I was seven months pregnant with my first born child, and the person who I had known as my best friend for years wasn't even around.

Eventually, we began talking again, and worked out some of our differences and the things that were keeping us apart, but I still don't call her my best friend forever. She has a completely different plan for her life than I, and we are still pursuing our own life and career. We keep each other informed of what's going on, but we won't ever be pregnant together or live next door to each other. Damned if that guy so many years ago wasn't right. There is no such thing as best friends forever. That's the reality.

Learn more about this author, Elizabeth Kelley.
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