Had a great time at a “family picnic” yesterday with the “oldest” friend I have. I don’t mean she’s the longest in the tooth. I mean we’ve been friends longer than with anyone else I know.
We met as babies, actually. Our mothers were best friends in Ohio, and went to high school together. (Our grandmothers were even friends, living right around the corner from each other.) Our moms married around the same time and had their first children around the same time — and those first children ended up being me and Michelle, born four months apart.
Our parents each moved out to California a few months later. They rented homes across the street from each other in Huntington Beach. That’s when Michelle and I “met,” as tiny little things. We have pictures of the two us as 2-year-olds in our Easter dresses, having brunch at some cute little restaurant, and we have numerous pictures that follow — with our dolls, as kindergarteners going to ballet class, in our little bathing suits, playing with wagons. …
In the years following, our families each moved away from that neighborhood, but our lives kept weaving in and out. Our parents each went their own ways, with new neighborhoods and new sets of friends, but we always reconnected after a year or two. I knew her aunt and uncle; she grew up with my brothers; her mother is my godmother; we both knew each other’s grandmothers; we spent weeks at each other’s homes during the summers. …
Our parents had good times and bad times. There were many Christmas gatherings, with full-on ’70s garb, and flocked Christmas trees, and The Carpenters, and sometimes too many drinks. It always felt like we were family members — like close cousins more than just friends; our moms always felt like sisters.
We were maid/matron of honor in each other’s wedding; we each had little girls just a year apart. …
Anyway, we had our annual “family picnic” yesterday, with our own families, and it was good to reconnect. Our moms were there, and our daughters. No matter how much time goes by, she always feels like a friend, a cousin, a sister. …
It’s great to have good times with old, old friends.
How about you? Who is your oldest friend?
It’s so good to have those type of friends. I have 2 friends that I’ve has sine we were 10 and 11. You’ve just reminded me to make some phone calls.
My family moved around a lot when we were growing up so we never had the opportunity to lay down “friend” roots until we settled in Orange County here in SoCal. in the mid 70s.
I think the first real friend I made then at age 10, and is still one of my very good freinds, is Walter A. That guy is and always has been one of the nicest and coolest people I know-and the best drummer the world has ever seen-no hyperbole there…Anyway we’ve been friends since age 10 and we are still buddies so I feel greatful for that!
Another Great friend I made at that same time ended up being the BEST Best Man ever to me and my beautiful wife Laurie (“mizwrite herself)is J.R. although he likes to go by Jimmy P. now we will always know him as J.R., and I’ve always said (even at age 10) that even though we are the same age, he is the man I want to be like when I grow up…
I like to say that I’ve known my oldest friend, since before we were born–our moms, now in their mid 80’s have been friends since they were in kindergarten. We live in the same state, but somehow only manage to see each other once a year or so, but time apart doesn’t seem to matter…
Kwana — Ah, 10 and 11 seems the time when you really form “best friends” for the first time, huh? I have a friend from that era, too! I’m so glad you have two close friends from then — and glad you just realized you’re a phone call away! Have fun reconnecting!
Superman — Aw, Walt and JR are, truly, special men, with good hearts. It’s so neat that you’ve known them since you were 10!
Virginia — Your friend sounds like my Michelle! Moms are friends, etc. And same here — time apart doesn’t seem to matter. We never seem to miss a beat, but launch right back into old conversations and all that wonderful laughter!
I met my lifelong best friend (Aya) when I was 11….She knows me better than anybody else and loves me anyway!! We have been through everything together. She has the biggest heart of anybody I know. She is like a second mom to my daughter and we love her little ones more than words can describe. My heart melts when they call me Auntie Shull 🙂 Can’t imagine life without Aya. Even though we are in different places in our life – I am the mom of an adult and her babies are in elementary – we know that we are just a phone call, text, email or drive away. I have truly been blessed by her friendship. She is the sister I never had…love her, love her, love her!!! And thanks, Mizwrite, for reminding me what a beautiful friend I have 🙂 I think I’ll send her an email just to tell her how much she means to me…
Hi, M! I didn’t know you knew Aya that long! Wow, that’s a great story. It’s really a testament to your friendship, too, that you’ve remained friends even as you have gone through different “life stages” (one of you with a grown daughter and one with elementary ages). I think that’s an easy place to start to drift. But you and Aya have really hung on through all those years. I wish you MANY more years of your beautiful friendship! 🙂