I’m finally getting back to the friendship series! In case you missed the first (introduction) post in the friendship series you can catch up on that first.
I’m not sure exactly where to draw the line between old friends (not old in age – we will always be young!) and new friends. Obviously, I consider friends from childhood old friends. I consider friends from high school and college old friends (seeing as I graduated college almost 10 years ago…whaaaat?). Then I have some friends that I made at work or through other friends when I was in my early 20’s and I consider those friends old friends at this point. I can’t remember my life without them and boy have we been through a lot of changes together.
There is a group of girls that I was friends with in high school and we all do a pretty good job of staying in touch and supporting each other. I think it’s rare to stay close with your high school friends so I count my blessings that we have made it happen. I will admit that I’m sad that we don’t see each other all that often since half of the group now lives out of state (and we’re all busy), but I absolutely love and treasure the friendships we have and moments we do still spend together.
My best friend is someone I lived with in college. Unfortunately, she lives in New York, but we talk often and I know I can always tell her anything that’s on my mind. I love that we are honest with each other, that our husbands get along and that we both have sons around the same age. This is a friendship that will never end.
I’m only touching on a few friendships here although I’m sure you all would enjoy some of the old pictures I just looked at. There are so many stories I could share here about friendships that have stood the test of time, and even some that seem a bit out-of-place.
You know what’s great about old friends? You know them. Like, really know them. You know their strengths and weaknesses. You know their family backgrounds and their dating backgrounds (and that some have a better track record than others in this area). You know that you can be yourself around this type of friend because no matter what, you’re there for each other. You’ve probably fought and made up. You’ve probably gone a few weeks/months/years without talking and caught up right where you left off.
Old friends are your rocks. Maybe not your only rocks, but definitely at least partly your rocks. They’re around when you need them most. They’re honest with you when you’re making a bad decision. They’re legitimately happy for you (and not jealous of you) when you achieve your goals and dreams. My “old friends” knew me back in my candy-eating, beer-drinking, stay-up-way-to-late days. They didn’t judge me for the mistakes I made – in fact, they were usually right there with me making the same mistakes.
The only problem with old friends is that you may or may not drift apart. There’s a good chance you won’t leave near each other forever. You’ll probably be in different stages of your life as far as careers, marriage, children, etc. at times or you may just let life get in the way and fall out-of-touch. It’s sad, but it definitely happens a lot.
What do you love most about your “old friends”? Are you good at staying in touch with old friends or do you find that you’ve drifted apart from most of them?
There are some friends in my life that I rarely see anymore for various reasons (they live far away, we’re in different life stages, etc.) but that I still count as my CLOSE friends. Y’know the ones I’m talking about — those that you can pick up where you left off as if no time at ALL had passed. Even if it’s been years. Those are the friends that stand the test of time. That’s not to say that I don’t stay in touch with my close friends, there are just some that I’ve known forever but rarely get the opportunity to see yet somehow we keep that connection alive. It’s so special when it happens huh?
YES!!! That is the best and so special. My best friend from high school came up for a bachelorette party and I drove her. It was the longest we had actually been able to chat in years and it was so nice. We got to the destination and found ourselves sitting in the parking lot chatting bc we were finished catching up. haha
i feel like the big differnece between old and new friends is that i can be TOTALLY honest and call my old friends out. i can say things like, “dude. what are you thinking?” or tell them they’re in the wrong, etc.
with new friends you have to be more diplomatic, tip toe around things, etc. it keeps you from being completely honest or yourself.
YES! There are certain topics that you always dance around a little bit with new friends whereas with old friends you just tell it like it is, even if you disagree.
I love all of these pictures of you and your friends. Do you age?
Old friends are really the best! I consider myself lucky because I still have friends from middle school, high school, and college. Plus I’ve worked with some of my best friends for the past 7 years. Oh the stories we share 🙂
Yup – you are one of the lucky ones then …not a ton of people have friends from that long ago. You’re so funny…I feel like I look like a little kid in some of those pics. In all fairness, they’re not THAT old…I was 25 in the sombrero one (that was my bday…the keg party haha) and a little younger in the top and older in the bottom. 🙂
Yes without a doubt our friendship will ever end becuase even though we do not see each other nearly as much as we would like, nothing fundamentally ever really changes and as we grow, so does our friendship, love and respect for each other! I am so grateful to have you in my life and in my family’s life! Just knowing you are there, even if we do not talk every day, makes getting through the tough days not nearly as bad. And PS, that was a GREAT party! We look so young!! Can’t believe it’s been over 14 years already!! I can’t remember you not being in my life! Thanks for all the great memories and years…and for the wonderful friendship!!
Dude – that was 6.5 years ago. I feel like I have aged about 10. haha 🙂 Love you and so so so happy we met. 🙂 XOXO
I love your look back at old friendships. I think what I love best about old friendships is the evolution of them. THROUGH those different phases and the ones that stick by, even if their lives are completely different than yours? lifelong friends…sister friends! : )
YES…that is exactly why I am so happy I’m still close to my high school friends. We have all been through so much, but we are literally all in different phases (and places). It makes it so interesting!