Last week, I experienced several ‘gold-star’ events and my mind is still whirling. It was a week of emotional highs and lows, mixed with hugs, smiles and tears. In my quiet times back home, I’ve thought about the friends that I have ‘accumulated’ over more than ‘three score and ten’ years in my life. Friends… how did they get to be on my ‘List of Friends’! Where did I meet them? What happened to make us think that we could be friends? 

My week began with a text message, telling us that a long-time friend had passed away after a devastating disease. Our emotions were mixed… sad and thankful! He no longer had to suffer but sad for his wife and family. I had known him for many years, since my high school days, and my hubby knew him in business. We had many mutual friends who attended the memorial service to honor him. I reconnected with friends that I knew in my teen years… school friends, youth group friends, and ‘sisterhood’ friends! In spite of the added grey hair and visible wrinkles, we still recognized each other. I must admit that there were instances where the greeting started with, “I know who you are, but I don’t remember your name!” Following that introduction, the fond memories began to surface. 

The following day, I was able to attend an Open House event, to celebrate the 60th Wedding Anniversary of long-time friends. The celebrating bride had been my locker partner in High School. That was a long time ago! A great crowd of family and friends attended to tell stories, enjoy great food, and ‘catch-up’ with friends and acquaintances. 

To top off the week, two long-time friends and I were able to meet for a visit and lunch. We had been a vocal trio in our teen years, singing in our church choir and youth group. Following high school, we went our separate ways for education, marriage, and family. To the best of our recollection, we had not been together for at least 50 years. Needless to say, our lunch time was filled with conversation but little food. After two and a half hours, it was time to leave but it seemed that we had just started our journey down memory lane.

I also have ‘cyber-friends’ that I treasure. How did they become my friends? In the beginning, it seemed like a repeat of having ‘pen-pals’ in school. We were assigned a student in a different country who was in the same grade, and we knew their name. We wrote letters, told them about our school, our family, our favorite sport, etc., and sometimes, if there was a camera available, sent a picture so that we had a face to associate with the letters. We would eventually learn that there were some things that we had in common, some things were completely foreign to each other, but it was a special day when a letter arrived from that ‘special friend’. Sometimes the contact was only for that school year, sometimes it lasted longer, but it never entered our expectations that we would ever meet face to face. 

Does any of that sound familiar? Our Pen Pals are now on the Internet, halfway across the world, and we can have two-way conversations with them in real time. If we don’t speak the same language, we can exchange messages and comments (and emails, if preferred) that can be translated for us. We read their profile, look for some common interests, send friendly greetings… and sometimes we start sharing personal stories. Even though we don’t know their full name or how to contact them when they are off The Hill, they have become a cyber-friend who we may never meet in person, but their friendship is still treasured.

I'm so thankful for each person who I can call my friend!

Tags: Friends School Celebrate