Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Friendships In Your Forties - What I've Learned


IMAGE : MORGUEFILE.COM | Female Friendship In Your Forties

I've been having lots of wonderful times spent with friends lately.  New friends, old friends, new friends who feel like old friends, and friends you don't really know you have until you both step into each others' path and say, "I have always liked you and I want you in my life."

I seem to have struck that scenario quite a few times in recent years. I've written before about my love of the 'mummy mafia' and how I have been fortunate enough to have had a largely positive experience with the schoolyard interactions. The truth is, I love the friendships I've made in this chapter of my life. I love that at this age if you wish to connect with someone, you just do. No games, no pretense, no insecurity, just a simple desire to connect with someone who is like-minded and maybe makes you laugh, or makes you feel happy. It's as simple at this age as it was when we were kids ourselves because when you have kids of your own, potential friends seem to be all around you if you're willing to put yourself out there.  And while as a kid I was always more likely to hang around with boys as I seemed to connect with them more easily than with girls, these days my brilliant, widely-varying female friendships are pure gold to me and I'm so grateful for each and every one of them. 

I had a really special friend a few years ago who I adored and to this day I believe she taught me a lot about making friends and about the simple act of reaching out and being transparent.  We connected with each other almost immediately and she provided me with such happiness and joy. My friend had cancer throughout our friendship and while it didn't define our friendship in any way, I think in a small way it helped bring us together in the early days.  We weren't friends because of cancer, but I believe that we both knew that there was no point wasting time in making our connection 'a thing'. My beautiful friend, who was experiencing the awful possibility of dying sooner than the rest of us, knew better than anyone how to connect with others who would provide her with that wonderful friendship-y stuff I'm talking about; the friendship stuff that had nothing to do with her illness.  She connected with many of us wholeheartedly and in doing so, she taught me how to make friends without hesitation and without the time-wasting notion of waiting to see what pans out over time. Although we had to say goodbye to her some time ago, this lesson in friendship is something I have taken with me to this day. For that, (and for so many other things I learned from her), I'm truly grateful.

So here's the thing about me in this chapter of my life. These days, if you and I are destined to be friends, it probably won't be me hanging back in the shadows waiting for you to make the first move.  In my forties I've learned to step forward, to reach out a hand and to say what's in my heart; about what a friend means to me. My dear friend taught me that too. I really believe we should foster wonderful, deep and fulfilling friendships as though time is not a luxury and we shouldn't allow hesitation and insecurity to get in the way of whatever wonderful things are there to be experienced as a cherished friend. So if there's someone bubbling away on your radar that you know you're destined to be friends with, take that step. Discuss the prospect of coffee! It's the age old caffeine-y glue that binds friends together! You just never know the joy that you may be missing by hesitating.




6 comments :

  1. Your friend sounds like a wonderful person. I have a gorgeous friend like that in my life, she has taught me to just talk to someone. If you click, great. If not, no harm done. I once met a friend just by sitting in the waiting room for my son's immunisations. After that chance meet and being brave enough to start talking, we had coffee every week and our kids played, for a whole year :)

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    1. I love that, Emma! What a great place to meet like-minded people - the immunisation waiting room! Genius. And yep, my friend was very special and I'm so pleased that you have someone in your life who has taught you some lovely friendship lessons too. Thanks for your comment.

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  2. I moved about 3.5yrs ago and had to go out of my way to meet people. I went to networking functions (for women and businesses) and met some people on social media. I don't have kids or a partner so had to make an effort or I'd be too isolated.

    I have a lot of old friends but have struggled a little while many have had kids and other priorities. Occasionally they'll do girls' nights but mostly they did things with other couples and parents so I always felt a bit left out.

    I'm in my mid-late 40s now so many of those people are probably going to have more time on their hands as their kids become more independent and leave home etc...

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    1. I think your time with old friends is coming around once again, Deborah. I imagine it must be quite a challenge to maintain friendships though an era when people are marrying and having kids - although I didn't face that challenge, I have friends who have and I've seen how lonely it can be at times. Good on you for reaching out and meeting people through networks such as social media - I hope you were able to meet some great people in exchange for your efforts. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.

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  3. Good for you. I always hold back and I've tried not to. I let people only in so far and then I freeze up and block the emotions .. Work in progress

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    1. Keep up the good work, Natalie! It's never easy but if you push yourself and put yourself out there, the friendship rewards will be so worth it.

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