Thirty-eight years ago I made my very first "real" friend. Sandy and I have been friends since I was 7 and she was 5. We met when my family moved into her neighborhood. All throughout our childhood and teen years we were pretty much inseparable. After we both graduated HS and went off to college, we still kept in touch and saw each other on school breaks and during the summer. Even as our lives changed and we made new friends in college and had less and less contact with each other, we still had a special bond. When I got married in 1987, I didn't hesitate to ask her to be my maid of honor. And in 1994, I was honored to serve as hers.
We really haven't seen all that much of each other in the last 25 years. For several years we were both living in AZ (quite by coincidence), though an hour apart. For those years we managed to see each other a few times a year. Now that I'm living back in our hometown in RI, Sandy and I see each other every summer when she comes "home" to visit her mother and sisters. Yesterday was that day. She and her 5 year old daughter came over for lunch. I invited my mom, dad and Sandy to join us since they watched Sandy grow up and she is like a daughter to them. We had a great time sitting outside chatting and talking about old times. Even though we see each other so infrequently we never have any trouble picking up where we left off. Which is pretty amazing - considering she is the first friend I ever made.
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I am so happy to leave the first comment today! I'm late to this association having only known Sandy a mere 23 years. That's hard to believe.
I didn't watch her grow up though. She was already a young woman when I joined the family. It was easy to see what everyone loved about her and that special feeling continues.
And I think she truly is like another daughter to Paul.
It's so wonderful to have a friend that you can tell anything to and they can relate and you never seem apart even when you are.
How wonderful. I don't have any friends with whom I have such history. I can't even imagine the bond you must have. It's no wonder you two have no trouble picking right up where you left off!!
That is so great, I have been trying to locate a friend. We played together before we started kinder and she moved when we were in 7th grade. I just can't find out anything about her but I sure would love to know how her life is going.
Sorry I carried on...
What a wonderful tribute to your friend! And it sounds remarkably similar to my own story of my oldest friend - we met when I was 5 and she was 4 when I moved into her neighborhood. There's nothing like having a friend you grew up with, is there?
Glad you enjoyed your day together!
Sue
There's nothing quite like your oldest friends...mine I've known since she moved next door when we were 5 years old, and we've been thick as thieves ever since. It's the oldest friends, the people who've seen you through the best and worst times of your life, who knew you before you were "a grown-up" before you were anything, who are so important to keep you grounded, and remind you of who you are when you forget.
Thanks Pam, for reminding me that despite time and distance these friendships can continue for years to come! :)
I could've written this myself. I met mine when I was 7 and she was 4. She moved into our neighborhood and I went over to her and said, "Hi, I'm Kris. Do you want to be my friend?" That was 48 years ago. Funny thing is, I have several friendships like this where Life has interrupted us and tossed us all to the winds. We've all landed in many places and see each other infrequently but when we do happen to meet, it's like there hasn't been 1 or 5 or 20 years since we last met face-to-face. Friendship is a funny thing.
What a wonderful friendship! I have a couple I can 'pick up where I left off with' and that really is wonderful special and RARE! Glad you had the opportunity to have such a nice visit!
How wonderful that you have a friend like her! I love getting together with my friends like that- although I do with more of them lived closer! ;)
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