Senior to Senior: Connecting With Old Friends

Only in the movies does the term BFF (best friends forever) seem like a real possibility. Forever is a long time. Friendships have always been an integral part of our lives but they come and go, like ships passing in the night. As you age, you come to realize that you should have taken more time to nurture friendships along the way. You know, the people you chummed with in high school, college, day care, elementary school, work places, and other fun groups that you enjoyed. You met new people at each stage of life. You bonded because of shared interests, hopes, and dreams, but then you moved on. You were too busy to keep in touch. You started to drift apart when you went off to different schools, married, started families, or got wrapped up in new careers. All good reasons, and you meant to keep in touch. Now, 50-60 years later you wonder what if, what if, you had kept in touch. Old age, illness, loneliness, the passage of time, and a dwindling friendship pool weight heavily on your minds. Is it too late to reconnect with old friends? You have likely toyed with the idea of reaching out, but it is hard, hard to make that first move. You may be nervous or afraid that your overture won’t be welcomed. But don’t let that stop you. If they don’t reply it is their loss not yours. However, studies show that most people welcome a blast from the past. People are fundamentally social beings and connections are important, especially now that you all are older and feeling a bit left out. There is something rather splendid about old friends. You have a history that only comes from growing up during the same time frame. Reaching out is usually defined as a phone call, text, e-mail, a letter or social media remark. Social media is an excellent tool for finding people. If you are not computer savvy, ask someone to help you. Make the effort; it could change your life.