All of us cherish helpful and loving friends, and wise, compassionate spiritual mentors are especially important to us to progress on the path. Being separated from the people we value or having an important relationship not work out the way we had hoped is painful, yet it is a common occurrence in cyclic existence. Because we ourselves, others, and all the conditioned things around us are impermanent by nature, whatever comes together must also separate.

-- Venerable Thubten Chodron