Make New Friends, But Keep Thee Old...

Girlfriends.  Don't they mean so much to you? Do you cultivate these friendships?

Isn't it great how you can share things with old friends that you don't feel comfortable sharing with new friends who can't put anything in context? A lot is left unsaid and still, they understood the context as only fast old friends can.   

To have friendships that you can pick up where you last left off -- what a blessing! 

I've just finished spending some time with old friends from college (the title of this post is from a song I learned when I was a Camp Fire Girl - my daughters sang the same one in Girl Scouts).  They spent some time with my son and could tell him how he reminded them of my husband when they knew him at the same age, telling some stories I had forgotten.  My son basked in being surrounded by the community bonds of historical ties.  He's not had the benefit of long-time relationships through our moves. My throat and jaw hurt from talking and laughing so much.

We shared the pain of mothering -- letting children suffer their stumbles as they grow up. We diffused our own pain in the process.

Sometimes you don't appreciate what you have until you lose it (as I have felt so far from old friends through moves) and yet... mothering is such a demanding and busy job that family time comes before friendship time.  That was true for all three of us -- one with two children, me with three and another with four.  All of us have moved from the place of our roots, yet we love where we are. My fingers have hurt from blog talk.  My jaw hurts from gabbing.  My bohunkus hurts from sitting in a saddle, sharing my passion of horseback riding with my dear old friend, mother of my godson. 

Girlfriend time, play time.  We need it all of our lives. What does our time with our girlfriends, old and new, mean to us over time?

Comments

[Laundry Woman]

I first heard that song last fall when my girls joined up with girlscouts (as I finally was blessed with a vehicle.) I cried. I LOVE that song- proof that some of the best things in life are the simplest. I wrote on FaCTNET to my old friends still in the cult, how I wished they could love me, and I quoted that song.... I still get teary singing it.

[Old Horsetail Snake]

I guess it means your coccyx will be sore for about a week. Foolish girl....

[Jamie Dawn]

I have one dear friend who means the world to me.
We keep in contact by email and phone.
I miss her very much since we moved.
When you have a dear, treasured friend, you have a wonderful thing indeed!!

[girlfriend]

Just now getting my voice back and walking not so 'bow legged' after 5 glorious days. I am back to my ole routine, but will cherish the time spent and the feeling of being loved, restored and revived! My special friend, per your usual fashion you eloquently have expressed what it means to have a girlfriend. And most important, one who you can trust with ANY SECRET! That my dear, is the litmus test!
And that's what makes our friendship sacred! (Wanted your other readers to know that you what you write about is not 'make believe'!)

[deb]

My best friend and I have know each other since we were fourteen. We've been through so much together and apart. We know each others secrets and when we get together, she lives in Victoria, we pick up where we left off and don't stop talking untill I get back on the plane. I love her to bits.