As I get older, it is even more important to stay in touch with the friends who knew me when I was young.
And I don't mean this in some shallow Facebook way, where some random woman "friend requests" me via Facebook and claims we used to go to school together 25 years ago. We didn't talk to each other or know anything about each other then, so why would we suddenly do that now? All that we have in common is that we shared the same biology teacher in 1984. This is hardly enough to even warrant a quick mention, let alone a lasting re-connection. (Although I have to admit, I am curious to see what you look like and it seems rude to Ignore the request, so I have accepted it....and it seems this is all you wanted to do too, because that is as far as the contact has gone.) (I am obviously too old to really get FB, but that is a different post entirely).
I feel very lucky that I have some very good real-life friends from school and that we have managed to stay in touch with each other (without the miracle of Facebook or even e-mail). These friendships have survived many years, despite differences in geography and life's other complications. We have shared weddings and baby announcements but we never used to see each other very much. Everyone was busy. We lived at opposite ends of the country (or in different countries). We had small children.
Then someone my sister went to school with died. Too young and very suddenly. And she went to the funeral and met up with friends she hadn't seen for years. And I thought "what a sad reason to get together with friends". I didn't want to wait until someone's funeral. And if you would make the effort for a funeral, you’d do it for a happier occasion, surely?
So last year I invited my friends to Copenhagen for no other reason than just to meet up. And obviously we had a good time and this weekend the five of us got together again - for the third time in a year.
They knew me when I was young(er). And they make me feel young. They remind me of who I was before I was a wife and a mother. They make brilliant cocktails and aren't afraid to dance to all the 80s songs. They take me on treasure hunts round the English countryside, will lend me money and, in an emergency, their sofa for the night. And they are brave enough to ride the Big Rollercoaster with me.
And I don't mean this in some shallow Facebook way, where some random woman "friend requests" me via Facebook and claims we used to go to school together 25 years ago. We didn't talk to each other or know anything about each other then, so why would we suddenly do that now? All that we have in common is that we shared the same biology teacher in 1984. This is hardly enough to even warrant a quick mention, let alone a lasting re-connection. (Although I have to admit, I am curious to see what you look like and it seems rude to Ignore the request, so I have accepted it....and it seems this is all you wanted to do too, because that is as far as the contact has gone.) (I am obviously too old to really get FB, but that is a different post entirely).
I feel very lucky that I have some very good real-life friends from school and that we have managed to stay in touch with each other (without the miracle of Facebook or even e-mail). These friendships have survived many years, despite differences in geography and life's other complications. We have shared weddings and baby announcements but we never used to see each other very much. Everyone was busy. We lived at opposite ends of the country (or in different countries). We had small children.
Then someone my sister went to school with died. Too young and very suddenly. And she went to the funeral and met up with friends she hadn't seen for years. And I thought "what a sad reason to get together with friends". I didn't want to wait until someone's funeral. And if you would make the effort for a funeral, you’d do it for a happier occasion, surely?
So last year I invited my friends to Copenhagen for no other reason than just to meet up. And obviously we had a good time and this weekend the five of us got together again - for the third time in a year.
They knew me when I was young(er). And they make me feel young. They remind me of who I was before I was a wife and a mother. They make brilliant cocktails and aren't afraid to dance to all the 80s songs. They take me on treasure hunts round the English countryside, will lend me money and, in an emergency, their sofa for the night. And they are brave enough to ride the Big Rollercoaster with me.
I'm already looking forward to GOT4.
Me too!
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