Bittersweet

If only I had a nickel for every time I'd heard someone say, "I wish you would know what the good old days are while you're still living them."
I've been trying to appreciate the moments I'm living while they're happening. And I'm realizing that any good days are going to be bittersweet. I was just out on a late night adventure with my friends. I went with someone I'll name "Rebecca" for the sake of anonymity to pick up "Claire" from the airport. Her plane arrived at midnight, and we had to drive through the heart of downtown to get there. It was a lot of  fun to catch up with "Rebecca," who I haven't had the chance to spend much time with recently. "Claire" was also fun to catch up with, as I'd missed her while she was away.
As the night came to a close, it occurred to me that this would be one of the last outings of this sort I'd have with my friends. Senior year is almost over, and next fall we're all spreading our wings and flying to very different locations. I may not see many of my closest friends more than during the summers when we're home, or even until it's time for a high school reunion. How could people so essential to my life become strangers almost overnight?
On the flipside, I will soon be heading off to college. Dorm life, independence, and a thousand other wonderful things are soon going to fill my life. All of these sacrifices, the friendships which will fade away or grow weaker, will make way for new things. I am so incredibly excited for these new things, but my heart breaks to think of losing any of the people I currently hold in my heart.
Bittersweet. That's what this is. I'm torn between the good and the bad in an exhausting battle. For better or for worse, things are changing. And with change comes a thousand mixed feelings I can't control.