Over thirty-five years ago my elderly neighbour Mrs. McKellar, said it was important to have friends in every age grouping. At the time there was an over fifty years difference in our ages. The main point she impressed on me was death happens and you lose friends and family all through life.
Looking back many years later, I remember this vibrant woman who drove her car until she was ninety years of age. I remember watching with amazement as she backed that big old car out of the curved, narrow driveway. Mrs. McKellar was always on the go.
Church functions, women over for tea, baking for fundraisers and have company of all ages come and go from her home. I was sometimes company for her and I know she had other neighbours over for tea also. She created a new life for herself or continued living life after the death of her husband, whom I never met.
Age is not a barrier to friendship unless you make it one. Friendships can last a life time. As I grow older, I understand loss more than I did many years ago. Friends and family move away or die, no matter how old you are.
Having younger friends and family in your life helps keep you younger and from my perspective helps me with social media and keeps me somewhat up to date on technology.
As far as being older goes, you may be able to offer additional wisdom and share ideas with younger people, but don’t be fooled into thinking you have to be older to understand the world. I have learned so much from younger people and am inspired by their willingness to grow and share their understandings. We are in this life together, all of us!
Take a look around you. Do you notice different age groupings of friends in your life? Do these groups come together at different times or on different occasions?
As I write this article, I pondered the same questions myself. Most of my close friends are my age. There are some younger friends at my workplace or in the odd group I attend. Hmmm, may be running the risk of running out of friends if I do not do what Mrs. McKellar did.
Do you have friends of all ages? Where do they come from? Please share your comments on my article
All my best,
Barbara Gillett Saunders with “Healing a Heart’s Loss”