Friendship

I had lunch with a friend today that has just survived quite an ordeal and her life will never be the same.  She is incredibly brave and has dealt with everything that has come her way with such grace and maturity, she is an inspiration.

Chatting to her today made me think about my friends I have now vs in my 20’s and the first half of my 30’s.  I am blessed have some really wonderful friends that have been around for many, many years.  And then I am super blessed to have made some really amazing friends in the last few years.

The kind of women you befriend as you get older are special in a different way.  They may not have all that ‘dronkverdriet’ (sorry, there’s just no good English word) episodes to remember with you.  Or fashion horros we never admit to.  Or many late nights of whispered too-long conversations with parents complaining about the phone bill. 

BUT.  In your late 30’s when you befriend someone it is because you can’t afford not to be friends with them.  You are drawn to them because there is a mutual learning and common ground beyond looks, money and status.  You can almost skip all the shit and get straight to the good stuff.  And hopefully some ‘dronk’ without the ‘verdriet’! 

To all my friends, new and old: thank you for being in my life, you keep me sane!

21 thoughts on “Friendship”

  1. β€œTo the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.”
    Brandi Snyder

  2. So so true! Loved this post, especially this line “because you can’t afford not to be friends with them”

  3. You are blessed indeed. I am one of those unlucky people who have last made valuable friends when i was sixteen. of whom, none live in SA anymore. In mining towns everyone’s always about ” is your husband D-band or my husband is mine manager” so I have learn not to trying to make friends. Real that is. I love my virtual friends. You keep me as sane as possible. xx

  4. I have pictures of my oldest friend in some outfits that would make her cringe. Sadly though, I am standing next to her looking much, much worse in my ‘Purdey’ hairdo.

  5. Oh boy, how true is the last section of this post. I have never had a huge circle of friends but the friends that I have made in the last 10 years or so somehow seem so much more valuable to me. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your family with us, you are a great addition to my “new” friends. xxxx

  6. So true! Lovely post πŸ™‚ I only have one friend from way back since we were 12. I have a couple of work acquaintances I’ve met along the way – 2 really good ones! But only have that one ‘best’ friend! I rarely socialise, so never meet new friends!

  7. I have also found that as you grow up (for me it was getting married maybe?) you tend to outgrow some friends. And then become closer with others who on the same page as you.

  8. So true! Although I find it harder to make friends as I get older and have less time to maintain friendships, I deeply value the friends I have made on my journey, real and virtual!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *