K.I.T.

As said by the late 黃霑, 朋友之間，要無事常相見. (Friends should get together once in a while, and there doesn't need to be a reason.) And may I add, this should not only include friends but teachers, co-workers, and/or relatives etc. And even if you can't afford to see them, perhaps a phone call? email? or wall message now that facebook is proliferating?

It feels horrible to realize that you're only contacting certain people because they are currently "of some use" to you or if you become close to them only because you need a favour from them. I've been told that that's the premise of a friendship. "I use you and in return you can/will use me in the future." It can be true in some sense but I really hope that isn't what a friendship is all about. Let me correct myself. I do not only hope but I believe that there can be more to a friendship or any relationship, but I digress.

人與人之間的關係，是一種學問. I agree that most of the time it is very difficult to keep in touch. Where do you start? What do you say? Sometimes a simple hello is sufficient. For someone who isn't very thick skinned, even this would require too much from them, but don't give up. If both parties decide to give up and if no one puts in the effort to remain connected then that's the end of that relationship. I usually completely lose touch with my co-workers after one of us leaves the company. And I confess I'm usually not very good with keeping in contact with people, but I know a co-worker who would continue to check up on me despite the fact that I might not reply to her emails after 1, 2 or even 3 months. I thank her for her persistence for without this persistence, it will become more difficult to re-establish a friendship in the future.