Make New Friends But keep the Old Ones

via treehugger

When I was a young girl I was a brownie (girl scout)! I can't even remember how far back that was (as I have lately started thinking of it, if it's been more than ten years back, it's been TEN years back!!!) What was being a brownie all about? I recall we got badges when we did "good deeds" and we were always encouraged to do good deeds! I am not sure what happened when we did "bad" deeds. I guess that if I had continued being a brownie during my teenage years, I would have saved myself a lot of trouble, but of course, everything happens for a reason! I was not a brownie and I got in a lot of trouble, but let's leave this part for another time!

The one thing that NEVER, EVER leaves my mind about brownies, for some reason, is the song we used to sing. It goes something like this:

"Make new friends, but keep the oooold, one is silver and the other is gold!"

Today I remembered this song after seeing an old friend! Not that my friend is old (again, if it's been more than ten years, it's been ten years!!!!) but we used to hang out when we were young and very innocent. We used to have a special fondness then and I realized, seeing her after so many years, that the special fondness is still there! Our body language was that of connection and acceptance. We held hands as we spoke and were eager to know about each other's endeavors in the five minutes we spoke next to the bar door (I was leaving the bar).

Seeing old friends always makes me nostalgic as I think of days gone by, of how careless and carefree we once were and how life has changed and become more complex. I have recently lost an "old" friend as she didn't approve of the way I chose to live my life and decided to cut me off. That cost me a great deal and I kept wanting to sing to her: "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold". My "old" friend had made new friends and wasn't really interested if I (was I the silver or gold?) left her life or not. That hurt! It took some time to lick my wounds, like a growing dog that has been left helpless on the side of the road because its owners can't handle the idea of it not being a puppy anymore.

The hard truth is that probably everyone has "ended a friendship" at one point or another. I know I have! I was 15 when I moved to a new school and the one girl eager to speak to me was the only one who was...let's say...a little emotionally impaired! She came from a religiously fanatic family and ended up under medical care after we graduated. She is one friend I did not keep, although looking back, if I could change the way I avoided her after I made "new" friends, I would!

Everything new comes with excitement! New friends are always exciting as they present endless possibilities. We imagine the new activities we can establish with them and so many other new friends we can make, their old friends becoming our new friends! New buddies show us the world in an original way, bring new ideas into our heads and don't come with the heavy load that might accompany an old buddy. Oh, but how wonderful it is to have an old friend! That homey feeling you sometimes get when encountering that long time chum, that almost automatically takes you back to when you were 16, wore braces and had zits all over your face, but that one loved you still the same!


The universe, in its ever knowing synchronicity, never ceases to amaze and play with me. As I was writing these lines I got a Skype call from an old, gold mate. We talked about our lives (we live in different countries and haven't seen each other in years) and how things that once were are not anymore. His call gave me a magical reassurance that yes, it is important to make an effort to keep old friends who bring with them the memory of who we once were. They are the opportunity to keep us anchored, to remind ourselves of where we came from, regardless of where we have chosen to be at the present moment.

via The Daily P.O.P

Different friends can add different spices into our lives, and seeing this is the secret to appreciating those around us. One friend can be the listener, the one to call in times of trouble. The other can be there to cheer us up with his sense of humor. Still another might be the inspiring one, always ready to share her amusing experiences. That is why it is so important to keep room for both old and new, because one never knows what present the other will bring along and which friend will really be there to help in a time of need. 

How important are friends in your life? In this busy, crazy world, where we are pressed for time and when enjoying our time off, are dutifully engaged in the virtual insanity of social networks, blogging, chat rooms and online dating, how interested are you in making new friends? How often do you keep up with old friends, calling them up just to say hello and to let them know you are thinking of them? If you were a girl or boy scout, would you get a badge for being available to your friends, old or new?

The old, gold friend who "Skyped" me lived in France for a long time and in his honor, I conclude that having friends is a magical gift and regardless of the "status" of old or new, as Louis Armstrong once sang, 

Image via Top100musicdownloads.com

"I'll say to you, as the French people do...C'est Si Bon"!
It's so good to have friends and I wish to honor and thank each and every one of mine! You are certainly the silver and gold of my life!