Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?

The song "Auld Lang Syne" begins with the rhetorical question whether it is right that old times be forgotten and is generally interpreted as a call to remember long-standing friendships. It is a song that we all hear every New Year's Eve but it couldn't mean more to me this year. As my February move nears, the pit in my stomach grows over the fact that I won't be able to see my friends for a while. I am going to miss them so much-- the closeness, the nights out, the stories, birthday parties, pizza nights, the laughs, the smiles, the shared ups, and the shared downs. I would never forget the "old times" and I hope they don't either. My top new year's resolution is to hold on to my long-standing friendships here and to make a great effort to stay in touch from across the pond. Here's to everlasting friendship.