Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the

The Dalai Lama once said, “Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend – or a meaningful day.” These words are gentle, yet they carry the weight of eternity. In them lies the wisdom of impermanence, the truth that life flows like a river, and none may step into the same waters twice. Just as the sun rises and sets, so too do people come and go from our lives. The lesson is not to cling desperately to what cannot remain, but to seek meaning in both the days we live and the bonds we form.

In the ancients’ teachings, this truth was ever-present. The Stoics spoke of life as a passing flame, urging that each day must be lived as though it were one’s last. The Buddhists, from whom the Dalai Lama draws his wisdom, saw all things as impermanent: flowers bloom and fade, kingdoms rise and fall, friendships begin and end. Yet impermanence is not a curse; it is a gift. Because nothing lasts forever, we are awakened to the duty of cherishing what is before us. An old friend may depart, but the memory of their presence can enrich the soul forever. A new friend may arrive, carrying with them unknown blessings, shaping us in ways we cannot yet foresee.

History gives us vivid proof of this truth. Consider Abraham Lincoln, who in his life knew both deep companionship and painful loss. He lost friends to death, to war, to betrayal, yet he did not allow despair to consume him. Instead, he welcomed new bonds, forming alliances and friendships that sustained him through the darkest days of the Civil War. Each relationship—whether one that ended or one that began—was meaningful in its own time. His greatness lay not in clinging to what could not last, but in embracing each connection as sacred in its season.

The days themselves are like friends. One departs with its labors, triumphs, or sorrows, never to return. Another dawns, fresh with possibilities, waiting to be filled with meaning. Too often we mourn the passing of yesterday or rush blindly into tomorrow, forgetting that each day, like each friend, is a gift meant to be honored. The Dalai Lama calls us to awaken: do not waste your days in trivial pursuits, nor your friendships in shallow words. Seek instead to make each day and each bond meaningful, for therein lies the heart of a life well lived.

The emotional power of this teaching lies in its balance of sorrow and hope. Sorrow, because all things pass—friends leave, days end, life itself is fleeting. But hope, because with each departure comes arrival, with each ending comes beginning. The meaning is not in holding onto what slips away, but in giving depth to what is here, now. A day filled with kindness, courage, or love is never wasted, just as a friend who brings truth, joy, or growth is never forgotten.

For the seeker of wisdom, the lesson is clear: live not for permanence, but for meaning. Accept that both friends and days will pass, and let this truth sharpen your gratitude. Do not cling so tightly to yesterday that you miss the gifts of today, nor fear the losses of tomorrow so much that you forget to live. A meaningful life is woven not from endless possession, but from moments embraced fully, and from friendships honored deeply.

What then must we do? Each morning, welcome the day as a new friend, and treat it with reverence. Each evening, release it with gratitude, knowing its work is done. With friends, cherish those who stand beside you now, honor those who have departed, and remain open to those yet to come. Ask yourself not how many days you have lived, nor how many friends you have kept, but whether they were meaningful. In this way, your life will be rich, not in quantity, but in quality.

Thus the Dalai Lama’s words resound like the wisdom of the ages: friends and days alike will pass, but meaning endures. To live with this awareness is to walk with peace, to love without fear, and to rest each night knowing you have woven something eternal from the fleeting threads of time.