Life Stages and Relationships ✨ Things That Change, Things That Don’t

⭐️What is Life Stage?

A life stage refers to the various phases and milestones that a person experiences throughout their life! It is typically divided into major segments based on age and changes in life circumstances.✨

✔️ Examples of Major Life Stages

1. Student Phase (The Learning Stage)
• Early childhood, school years
• Focused on studies and relationships with friends

2. Working Phase (The Working Stage)
• Start working and become independent
• Expand relationships through work
• Earn income and aim for financial independence

3. Marriage and Family Phase (Building a Family)
• Start marriage or cohabitation
• Life centers around your partner

4. Parenting Phase (Dedicated to Child-rearing)
• Life changes dramatically with childbirth and raising children
• Life revolves around children
• Relationships with fellow parents, daycare staff, and school-related people increase

5. Post-Parenting Phase (Children Growing Up)
• Children grow up and become independent
• More personal time to focus on work and hobbies

6. Retirement Phase (The Later Years)
• Retire from work and enjoy life
• Focus on health and life after retirement

✔️ Changes in Relationships Across Life Stages

Throughout life, there are several times when your environment and values shift.
At each of these milestones, relationships often change gradually.
Especially for women, it’s common to experience changes in the people you associate with during each life stage.🤔

For example, in my case:

1. Student Years: Friendships are central

• Classmates, club members, part-time job colleagues form natural relationships
• Characteristics: See each other almost daily, relationships tend to deepen
• Trigger for Change: Graduation, advancing to higher education, or starting a job leads to less frequent interaction with some friends.


2. Early Career: Life centered around work

• Develop new connections through work with superiors, colleagues, and clients
• Characteristics: Busy with work, leaving less personal time; more socializing related to work
• Trigger for Change: Job transfers, marriage, or moving causes shifts in relationships.


3. Marriage and Family: Changes in social circles

• Marriage alters lifestyle rhythms, and you end up spending more time with only close friends
• Characteristics: Socializing more as a couple or family
• Trigger for Change: Differences in values with old friends can lead to growing apart.

4. Parenting Phase (Maternity Leave): Connections through children

• Meet more friends who also have children
• New encounters through places like children’s halls or parks
• Characteristics: Relationships are often centered around children, with common topics revolving around parenting
• Trigger for Change: As children grow and work schedules change, relationships with fellow parents also evolve.


5. Parenting Phase (Returning to Work): New connections

• Return to work leads to rapid expansion of professional network
• Characteristics: Less personal time due to a busy schedule, leading to fewer opportunities to meet up with old friends

⭐️ Things That Change and Things That Don’t

✔️ Reconnecting with Friends

As I mentioned at the beginning, I met a friend from university after two years!
We’ve both gotten married, had children, and are now juggling parenting and work.
In the past, we would see each other almost daily and traveled to multiple countries together, making countless wonderful memories.
She is kind, gentle, and a dear friend.
However, as we entered society, the demands of work and living in different places gradually reduced how often we met.
After marriage and childbirth, our busy daily lives made it harder to meet up.
In my case, the opportunities to meet old friends have significantly decreased recently, not just with the friend I met today.
I felt a bit lonely about it, but I guess it’s a common thing, right?💦

✔️ Yet, Some Things Never Change

Despite the long hiatus, when we started talking, it felt like we were back to the same old vibe!
As we shared updates about parenting and work, I realized that
“our essence hasn’t changed.”
Even though we’ve become adults and are walking different paths, our sense of humor, values, and personalities surprisingly haven’t changed much.
That realization was incredibly comforting and reassuring.

Also, in an offhand conversation, I shared a story about a trip I took to Nasu✨
Then, my friend casually said, “Once we’re done with parenting, let’s go on another trip together—maybe to an onsen!”
Right now, I can’t imagine life without children, but perhaps there will come a time when our kids are grown and we can take that trip!☺️
It’s still hard to imagine, but it feels like a new hope has emerged.
Thinking about it, I also realized how precious this time of parenting is, and that I need to cherish it even more.☺️
Even as life stages change, I want to continue valuing relationships like these that last for a long time!

Things that change and things that don’t.
I feel like we grow up while holding both in our hearts.

Thank you for reading until the end! 😊

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