We grow up thinking that ride or die friends are the ones who stay forever. The ones who never leave your side, who call every day, text back within seconds, and are always “there.” There is this popular belief that real friendship must be constant, always active, always present. But as life unfolds, it teaches a deeper truth: not everyone is meant to stay, and not everyone needs to, to matter.
So, why do we think friends should be 24/7?
I don’t know the answer to that. Should we blame it on pop culture, social media, or that childhood idea of a “best friend forever”? We often confuse consistency with loyalty. We think that if someone is not in our lives daily, they have somehow let us down. If the messages stop or the invites slow, the relationship was never real. But life is not lived in text threads. It is lived in moments, many of which are fleeting, yet powerful enough to shape us.
The unexpected ride or dies
Ride or die is not always about longevity. Sometimes, it is about presence in a crucial moment. It is the friend who barely speaks all year but shows up when it counts. The colleague who speaks one kind word on a hard day. The stranger who offers grace when you feel unseen. Some people are not meant to walk with us forever, but their one step alongside us changes the way we move forward.
These friends, who could be family too, remind us that duration is not the metric of meaning. One conversation, one act of kindness, one unexpected show of support can leave an imprint deeper than years of proximity ever could.
Let us learn to show gratitude for the passing impacts
To those who stayed a while and helped me carry my load, I say thank you. And to those who showed up only briefly, yet left me better than they found me, you are just as vital. You taught me something. You healed something. You reminded me of who I am and who I want to be.
Not every ride or die friendship is built for forever. Some are built for a season. A minute. A memory. And that does not make them less. If anything, it makes them more sacred, because they remind us that love and impact are not bound by time.
I hope we learn to see everyone’s role
Every connection, long or short, joyful or painful, has a role in our story. Some friends come to challenge us. Some come to protect us. Others come to prepare us for the next chapter. And even the ones who leave us with hurt, they too leave behind wisdom. We are not meant to cling to everyone, but we are meant to honor the roles they played.
Grace, Always!
So, cheers to all ride or die friends, in every form. To the ones still by our side and to the ones who passed through. May we be grateful for each other. May we stop measuring connection by closeness and start recognizing the weight of impact!
May we have the strength to reciprocate when we can, the humility to receive when we cannot, and the grace to pray for all who cross our paths, for a moment, a season, or a lifetime.
Because in the end, the journey is not about who stays the longest. It is about who shows up when it matters and who helps shape who we become.
What else would you like to know or read about? Ask away in the comments or send me an email, and I might write about it.
