I was talking with an old friend recently, and she was reflecting on her life of 90+ years. One thing she was most grateful for is her friends. It struck a chord in my heart. My old friends are a big part of my life.
I grew up in the military, so most of my childhood friends have scattered to the winds. But I am fortunate to have several friends that I’ve known since I was a teen or young adult. They enhance my life in ways I couldn’t imagine when I was younger.
I have friends who’ve known me for ten, twenty, up to forty years. It’s great to know someone so well and vice versa. There’s no need to explain everything about my family or my background. I don’t have to impress them, or watch what I say too closely. They’re close enough to really care about me—warts and all.
Some of my best friends are my late mother’s age or older. In some cases, they were my mother’s friend first. That’s a lovely connection, especially when I’m missing her and they say they miss her, too. And it’s great to have an elder to talk to when I’m feeling down. They have the life experience to tell me that this too will pass, and the faith to encourage me to keep going. That’s golden—just like they are.
If you value elders in your life, too, you might enjoy my friend Lizbeth Selvig’s contemporary romances. She includes at least one older character in each of her books. My favorite is Robert McCormick in Rescued By a Stranger. There's also 94-year-old Grandma Sadie in the Seven Brides series. But I recommend all of them! Lizbeth's latest book is Missing By a Heartbeat. Learn more at http://www.lizbethselvig.com/.
Lynn Lovegreen has lived in Alaska for about fifty years. She taught for twenty years before retiring to make more time for writing. She enjoys her friends and family, reading, and volunteering at her local library. Her young adult/new adult historical romances are set in Alaska, a great place for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest.
3 comments:
I've become very conscious of the age of my friends as I add years to my own life. A best friend of almost 40 years did not pay attention to adding new friendships to her life and then when dementia claimed her brain, the few she had her own age who had not already died, left (as in stopped calling her, did not answer when she called them, or call her back). She even went so far as to drive over to where one friend lived and left a note for her that was never answered. Because her friend list is small (me at 2K miles away) and one across town from her who has her own health problems, she is more vulnerable which increases her risk factor.
Love that more authors are including those of us whose white and lined face shows the world around us that we've life experiences.
I plan on looking for Lizbeth's books next time I'm out and about shopping for a few new reads!
Thanks, Judith. It is wise to have both old and new friends.
Yes, I recommend Lizbeth's books. Happy Valentine's Day!
Nice blog post! Friends of all ages are important to have for each of us.
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