Friendships

Friendships have always been a part of our lives, but the older we get, the more precious they become. In our younger years, we often had built-in circles of friends through school, work, children’s activities, or our neighborhoods. But as life changes – retirement, moving…

My very friendly next-door neighbours moved back to the US. In many ways, it was not a surprise, as they were always going to be visitors in London – here because of the husband’s job. Yet it came as both a shock and a loss…

One might imagine that once we leave high school, mean girls and cliques fade into memory. Surely, by the time we’re in our 60s – or older – we’ve earned a reprieve from cold shoulders and social humiliation. But the truth is, mean-girl behavior doesn’t necessarily…

Do you remember asking the “Can I play too?” question as a child when there was a game in progress and you wanted to join? I wasn’t much of a sporty girl, so I was usually asking in on jump rope, Red Rover, or tag. Most of the time, the answer was yes, or maybe, wait until…

A crazy, somewhat sad thing began to happen as my friends reached their post-parenting, pre-retirement years. Many began to build or buy second homes in fun locations with the idea that they’d retire in a destination where adult children and grandchildren would love to visit…

Some years ago, when my mother flew alone across Canada to visit with me, I was desperate to find a way to rekindle our former deep emotional connection. Since she had remarried several years earlier, I felt that I had lost some of our precious bond…

Never have I ever experienced a time where world events trickled down to touch down on such a granular level as our personal relationships. You hear people every day expressing sadness and frustration at the chasm between them and those for whom they care deeply…

One morning back when I was in my mid-50s, I realized two things… the first was that I had no good female friends. I mean, I had acquaintances. People who would be happy to jump in and help if I needed it. But no one I could call and chat with about my feelings…

It begins with a small request: an address, an article, a product lost in the vastness of the Internet. You find it, send it, and think nothing more of it. Days later, she asks for the same thing again. A playful memory-jog of your earlier reply is met with surprise, perhaps a dismissive…

The years over 60 can be a pretty amazing time of life. Sure, your skin might not be as taught, there may be a few more creaky joints, and pulling all-nighters for any reason is firmly in the rear view. But you’ve replaced what you’ve given up in collagen and flexibility…