“There’s not a word yet for old friends who’ve just met.”
– Jim Henson
Hey, Lovelies.
I’ve been thinking a lot about friendship lately, and how essential it is to happiness and a meaningful life.
At times it has been hard for me to make friends, and to maintain friendship. Chronic illness makes me unreliable, and often I only have enough energy for the essentials in life, with little left over for socialising. Yay for friends who also exist in the chronic illness space, and who truly understand what it is to live with limited energy and stuff that just goes wrong in your body at inopportune times.
My online friendships are one kind of relationship that has enabled me to stay connected and cared for, even when I can’t leave my bed, or leave the house. To all of you who are part of my community, and who have ever messaged me, commented on a post, or sent me snail mail, THANK YOU!
I have friends who talk to me through GIFS and memes and silly emoji messages. I love that!
I have friends who write me occasional long heartfelt letters, or who drop me a quick postcard, and I love that too.
I have friends who have become family, where our lives and hearts are entwined.
There is also something very comforting about friends from childhood and early adulthood who know your past, know your family, know your history. We may not talk or connect often, but that bond is always there, stretching out across the years.
My dear sister is someone who is always there for me, and I love her dearly. Her friendship means the world to me.
Of course there have been many friendships that have not gone the distance, or that never coped with my poor health and lack of social stamina. That’s okay. The people in my life now understand me better. They leave room for me to be me.
There is another category of friends I am treasuring lately – and that’s new friends.
My wonderful neighbours are the kind of friends who can come round for dinner when the house is in total disarray, and who don’t care if I am in my pjs and slippers! I now have friends from my new local writing groups – people who are passionate about the things I care about, friends who want to meet up to write, or for coffee to talk books and words and magic and intuition and ‘witchy stuff’. Some of these friends I can tell will become the next ‘best friends’ of my midlife and beyond, and that’s a wonderful feeling.
I hope you know I count you among my friends too. We’ve shared a lot together here on the page, and I’m looking forward to sharing much more.
Sending love, hugs and deep gratitude for your presence in my life, Nicole xx
