When my boyfriend in high school and I broke up, I was devastated. I really wanted to work on becoming friends with the guy after we split up. Needless to say, in the first couple weeks following the breakup, he and I didn’t really cross paths all that much. I was beside myself – how could we be friends if we never saw each other anymore?

My mother told me that time apart was needed before we could be friends. She was right. Two years later, I now consider him to be one of my best friends from high school.

When one of my (now former) best friends in college betrayed me, I wanted to cut her out of my life and for everyone around me to do so as well. Obviously, that was a little irrational for me to expect of my friends to feel the same way towards her as I did. But I didn’t want to deal with her or to have her still be in my life anymore after what she did.

My mother told me that in time, the girl’s true colors would show and she would end up hurting everyone else in my group of friends, not just me. She was right. The girl crossed every line you can’t cross in a friendship and now my friends feel the same way about her that I do without me having to influence their feelings.

When my most recent ex briefly floated the idea of getting back together, I had no idea what to do. Part of me was willing to consider it as it seemed too rash to rule anything out immediately. But a bigger part of me was far more cautious as our breakup was really not one I’d like to ever repeat.

My mother told me that if he was really serious about setting things right between us, he’d win back my trust over time. She was right. Apparently he wasn’t all that serious about getting back together. Which is good, because I have no desire for him to be in my life anymore in any capacity whatsoever.

I’ve always known that my mother gives great advice, but each time I run to her for her words of wisdom I am always amazed by just how wise she is. I’m so incredibly lucky to have her in my life.

Tags: opinions