"Experience High"

(O'Brien, 183)

"When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world. You make close friends. You become part of a tribe and you share the same blood- you give it together you take it together."

This mood of sudden appreciation for life and people can also be described as "experience high". No matter the trip, group, or cause, any gathering of people that bonds over hardship or deeply shares with each other, this gathering of people will feel extremely bonded to the group claiming they are the closest and best of friends.While in this gathering, the people may experience a simplistic love of life, finding joy or peace in almost anything. However, no matter how close the group claims to be or how many plans the group makes for the future, this group have hit their peak of friendship and bonding. Time, distance, and not constantly being together causes the group to grow apart as they return to their lives. The group simply can't fit into each individual world, it only last in the situation. Tim experiences this, displayed in the following quote: "You forfeit membership in the family, the blood fraternity, and no matter how hard you try, you can't pretend to be part of it. That's how I felt- like a civilian- and it made me sad. These guys had been my brothers. We'd loved one another (O'Brien, 186)". One must recognise that this group will never be as close ever again; still, friendships and bonds have formed and will never be forgotten. Those who work hard to maintain such relationships after the group has split are the true friends of the group. True friendship reflects those who try and include a new person in their world.