I saw a fantastic play yesterday: Merrily We Roll Along. It stars Jonathan Groff, famous for his role as King George III in Hamilton, and Daniel Radcliffe, famous for… well, you probably know! (It recently won 4 Tony awards!)

The musical tells the story of three friends and their journey through life, success, and friendship. What makes it unique is that the story is told in reverse order, starting when the characters are older and moving backward to their younger days.

It made me reflect on the simplicity of friendship at the beginning. Most of us are on the same footing in our late teens and early twenties. Learning, working, etc. Shared commonality does wonders to underscore relationships.

But as life expands and the decades pass, things may change. Ambitions and goals reshuffle as new forces come into play. Not necessarily bad, but it tests the strength of your bonds.

A dialogue from the show I liked:

“Dreams don’t die, so keep an eye on your dream. And before you know where you are, there you are. Time goes by and hopes go dry, but you still can try for your dream. Oh, the friends who will live and believe like you needed a reason to love you. These are the friends, precious friends, and a promise to keep. Yes, these are the friends who keep.”

Tend to your garden of friendship! It takes work, but the bloom is worth it. 👨‍🌾✂️🌳