A friend of mine is moving away, Just getting some thoughts off my chest

[Dr. Wily]

Not quite sure what to say in this topic, but I'm feeling a bit strangely about all of this. A friend of mine for close to 5 years now is moving away. His name is Hakem and he's been one of the few friends I've made since moving down here in Florida. He's an extremely creative guy, very intelligent and always discussing this and that. He's also sort of off-the-wall, but he's very funny. I think some of that kinda rubbed off in me. Certainly an odd cookie, but nonetheless me and him spent a lot of time together. We haven't lived in the same town for a year now (due to me attending UF and him being one year my junior), but we meet whenever I come back to visit my family (which happens about once every month or two). He is going to Cairo to pursue religious studies and improve himself and will be staying for at least 9 months possibly more. It's hard to predict if/when we'll ever meet again, but I know when we do we're both going to be different people (especially him after the experience). I'll be further along in my studies and his time abroad will probably transform him. It's possible one of us might even be married by then.

Recently he's given up music, movies and games, which is very good, but we've certainly both drifted into completely different lifestyles. I've spent some time with him this summer while I was taking exams and helped him with some photography (one of his recent interests is making pin-hole cameras). He worked with me on the Cowboy video (I'd link it, but I think Google Video took it down), he was also the lead actor. I went to a convention with him once, I helped him move, we were in a high school play together, it's really would take a long time to list all the stuff we did together.

Today is his last day in town before he heads off to Gainesville, then London, then Pakistan and then finally to Egypt where he'll stay for a long time. I met up with him today, we remnisced for an hour and some, went to Subway and I went to his house where he gave me some of his old stuff he's not gonna use anymore before saying goodbye. His mother sorta rushed us out of the house so he could get on with packing, so I feel a bit empty that I wasn't able to give him a proper goodbye, but oh well. I've prepared myself for this day, but I will miss him a lot.

[Dispenser]

sad. wish him good luck

[Dark Yoshi]

Losing Friends sucks. But if he's coming back, then you're luckier than most.

This post has been edited by Dark Yoshi on Jun 22 2007, 07:00 PM

[Madam Ki]

That sucks.

I had a friend who was close to me too. I moved away, but I gave her my new phone number....

And never heard from her.