"Time it was, and what a time it was, it was
A time of innocence, a time of confidences
Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph
Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you"
This song was running through my head today, reflecting on some short but quality time spent with one of my oldest friends. We've been friends since we were 12, and we have literally gone through the best of times and the worst of times together.
We haven't really seen each other properly in a long long time. I was over to herself and himself earlier on this year, but it was a rushed visit, less than 24hours, in the middle of house renovations and while it was lovely to see them, it didn't feel like we'd spent any proper time together.
The short time we spent together was lovely.....chilling out together over food-a nice breakfast in BonBon in the village, then over to the campus to show them round the old buildings. I'd wanted to show them The Gunn Chapel, as it's a beautiful chapel, hidden behind the dull grey exterior is this stunning ornate interior. As we entered, I met one of the staff who told me there was something on, and it should be over in ten minutes.
So we wandered off to the graveyard (ghost stories were told...and disproved!) and meandered back to discover that "something" was graduates from St. Patrick's! All the fancy robes and fancy certificates were on show, as was the chapel, which remained open with lights on for all it's carved and hand-worked splendour to be shown.
In between the photos and the scenery, the three of us talked about so many different things, life, our experiences thus far, hopes for the future, friends, family, funny moments we'd shared, sad moments we'd shared. And we realised just how lucky we were to make it this far (yes, as teenagers we were all that cynical!) and how much experience we'd crammed into our short lives.
This time a decade ago, both she and I were manageresses of two established places in Carlisle, both in what we viewed as steady relationships with amazing guys, seeing each other almost every second day for drinks and catchups-and we thought we were fairly sorted...neither of us were considering leaving the border city for a long time. Fast forward a decade, we're both in totally different careers in totally different places and only physically see each other to catch up once, maybe twice a year .....and yet, just as close as we were a decade ago, despite the many horrible things that have happened us both since those days.
I can indeed, as the song says, "imagine us years from today, sharing a parkbench quietly ....How terribly strange to be seventy...." Old friends usually make the best friends, and I'm very, very lucky to be able to count herself (and himself through her!) as one of mine.
Life moves so fast, and it's very easy to lose touch with people, especially if you're someone like me who misses calls or texts and keeps meaning to return them but forgets. Weeks turn into months which turn into years and you suddenly realise it's actually years since you last spoke or sat with someone you used to see daily. But if the friendship was strong enough, time makes no odds, those bonds reconnect instantly.
I consider myself very lucky not only to have one, but several friends with whom I've shared over two decades worth of friendship. Friendship is an amazing gift to have in life. Your friends are the family you choose for yourself, and in that respect, I'm lucky to have accidentally chosen the most amazing sisters and brothers over the decades, and luckier still to have had them choose me. Life can be pretty damn amazing sometimes!
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