First Baptist Church of Herndon

Old Friends

Linda Soller | Oct 10, 2022

What comes to your mind when someone asks you if a particular person is an old friend? Do you think of someone older in years? Maybe you think of someone who used to be a friend but may not be any longer. For me the words conjure up a feeling of someone who was a friend sometime in the past and regardless of the frequency of our contact over the years is still someone I think of as a friend.  They fall in a different group than an acquaintance. For this reason, I have to admit I do like to attend my high school reunions. I actually have people who I knew in elementary school, and we can still have a good conversation. Better than the ones we had as seven-year-olds at any rate. Knowing these people as a child, youth, or adult had an impact on my life. I valued them then and I value them now. Life happens and we may not regularly cross paths, but they are not lost from my memory. 

My parents routinely checked the newspaper obituaries to be sure they didn’t ssee someone listed there that they were not aware had passed. My dad said when he would see a person listed that he knew, it triggered a moment of regret tempered with more moments of fond memories. Now, as I grow older, I understand what he meant. We can’t keep in contact with all of the people who touch our lives. I choose to see that as a good thing. Indeed, it means we are blessed to know so many people. But we can hold on to fond memories. We can give those memories a prominent place in our hearts to treasure always.  

A close friend from high school and I have recently found it easier to get together. It’s called retirement. We will be going to the reunion together. We will be meeting up with a mutual friend who was my first BFF in the first grade. My two friends were friends in high school and college. Between the three of us we span a lot of years.  I know there will be wonderful memories and lots of laughter. You see we three are old friends. 

Be the love in the world  :o)