Friendship is the glue that holds our lives together… no matter what our age!
Cathy says:
I've been thinking a lots about friends this year. Some of my best and loveliest friends have had big birthday parties this year, and going to each party has meant re-connecting with other old friends and even making new ones. I feel very lucky to have such amazing people in my life, because although these lovely friends are spread out all around the UK and beyond, they mean the world to me. And as a shy, lonely teenager, I felt like I might never meet people like this.
As a child, I was outgoing and confident… I had plenty of friends both at school and in the streets around where I lived. My first friend ever was Keith, the boy next door - that's him in the photo above, with me in a the tartan pinafore dress and his cousin Penny in the shorts. I remember really envying her beautiful red hair! Secondary school was harder… I had friends, and I'm still in touch with some of them, but I felt very shy and on the outside of things a lot of the time. By the time I got to art college, things were looking up, and I made some fab friends at that time. My best friend in those years was Lesley, one of a bunch of awesome young people I shared a student house with. Lesley taught me loads and I was devastated to lose touch with her in my mid twenties. Years later she tracked me down and we have stayed in touch ever since, mainly via the internet because she now lives overseas! In the picture above, Lesley is sewing something… and I have crimped hair! Some things never change!
I met Helen, one of my best pals ever, on the day we both started work as teachers… she was teaching physics and I was teaching art, and we got chatting at the bus stop after school and bonded over hot chocolate fudge cake at a cafe in town. Although we no longer live in the same place, we see each other lots and I was lucky enough to be at her wedding (a second-time-around one) and birthday party this year. Then there's Sheena, who I met through another pal, and who quickly became a best friend also.
She is a silversmith and now lives in France, but she means the world to me. One of my best pals when I lived in Scotland was Jessie - I am writing this in her house because I'm visiting for her party tomorrow! We live a long way apart now, but I know we will never lose touch. Other birthday party girls this year include Fiona, whom I've known since our days working on Jackie mag together, and Denise, an awesome Irish artist I have also know forever. There are so many lovely people I am lucky enough to call my friends… and I know that their love and support has got me through the hardest of times. So if you ever wonder if you're going to meet the 'right' friends, or find people who understand you… don't panic. You will, if you're open and honest and willing to give as much as you take. Friendship isn't always forever, but it can be… and it's one of the most important things in my life. Naaawwww...
And… the good news is that the wonderful MY BEST FRIEND ROCKS comp is going to be back and better than ever for 2015… yay!!! COMMENT BELOW and tell me why YOUR best friends are fab… and watch out for the comp next year!
You have so many friends! I don't have any friends I see regularly but I consider Stacey and Naomi my best friends. I don't see them often - I've only met Stacey twice and Naomi goes to the same college as me but on the Monday and Tuesday whilst I'm there on the Wednesday and Thursday so I don't get to see her a lot - but they're clearly the ones who care most about me so they're my best friends. I'm not really in touch with any of my childhood friends. Abbie, who I knew when I was 4, moved away, another Abbie (the daughter of Mum's friend) died of meningitis, Lochlan and Eidlidh (my godmother's kids) have grown up and are worse now than they were as kids - Lochlan once punched me in the face and pushed me into a holly bush as kids, Dean moved away, Jessica moved away, Scarlett moved away, Rebekah moved schools, Lindsay is on the same college course as Mum but apparently doesn't speak a lot, Frances headed off to some uni somewhere, Becky moved schools, Kayleigh moved away without telling anyone and Craig, Scott and Sam from my S6 friend group occasionally comment on my statuses on Facebook but otherwise ignore me. Naomi's the only school friend I have left. Unless you count AK. I didn't hang out with him at school but we were friends outside of school and we had maths class together. I don't know. I seem to excel at losing friends but I think the fact that Stacey and Naomi have stuck by me proves they're true friends. And that's why they're getting Christmas presents off me.
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My best friends beth and coryn are the best friends ever because they are geeky clever and cool and more than perfect for me. They always ask what's the matter when I'm feeling down, which is one of the most important things a pal should have. This means they care about you and have more than enough time for you. They didn't like me at first but when I was true to myself they where true to me. Rosiexxx
ReplyDeleteHi Cathy. My best friend is Poppy we've known each other since we were 3 years old and she has always been there for me no matter what. We have disagreements but who doesn't? and we always make up soon afterwards. She's always been there for me especially when i was having a hard time at school. We're still friends now even though we live quite far away but i know i can always count on her to be there when i need advice or just want to chat. We have to text now but it's still like we're talking to each other. I always feel so welcome at her house, like i'm part of her family. When we were little we never went much to each other's houses and it's even harder now because she lives even further away but somehow she's always seems to be with me. If i'm ever in a bad mood i just remember all the memories we've had together and our crazy ideas from when we were younger and it just makes me feel so much better. Blondie xx :) :)
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