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One is Silver and the Other is Gold

I had the good fortune to have a fun lunch on Monday with three women I went to college with. One was my college roommate, who I've kept in touch with for the more than four decades since we graduated, despite living in different cities, states and sometimes, even countries. Happily now we live only a mile apart and just a quick bus ride away. The other two women I didn't know in college, despite all of us being part of a class of not quite four hundred. We connected at our class mini-reunion in April and now I am having the pleasure of making new friends. We have the bonds of shared college years, a love of reading and an enjoyment of art museums as our connections as well as a desire for friendship.

Our lunch made me think about how we form friendships, especially in this changing season of our lives. Through the years many of my friendships were made at work. Most drifted away when we no longer worked together but some grew stronger through the years. I was fortunate to join a book club almost twenty years ago, but that invitation came via work friends. I have also made friends from participation in synagogue activities and that has grown and flourished through the years, too.

A decade ago I made my first foray into social media by signing into a thread on the Weight Watchers site. I didn't expect much -- actually just diet support -- and made a great group of friends all over the country. I was initially hesitant -- what if the women I chatted with weren't who they said they were -- but I took a chance and met one of them who has visiting New York. Julie was exactly who she said she was. Blogging opened up a still wider world and I began to meet my blog buddies who lived all over the world. This week I will spend time with my English blog buddy, Sheilagh, on her third trip to New York. She no longer blogs and I realize it's time to drop the phrase blog buddy. She is simply my friend, no matter how we met.

In another time I was a Brownie and then a Girl Scout. One of my favorite songs was "Make New Friends." We sang it in a round and I never tired of it. The words were simple:

"Make New Friends, But Keep the Old,
One is Silver and the Other is Gold."

I'm pretty sure I will never grow tired of the thoughts in this song. When I was a scout I couldn't imagine all that the song would come to mean and that the treasure my golden friends would be. I also couldn't imagine the beauty of my new beautiful silver friends. You are all treasures. How have you made new friends in the fifty and sixty plus years? Have your thoughts on friendship changed?

I also mentioned date cake on Monday and here is the dessert we shared at our lunch. An almost lava-like cake, but using dates instead of chocolate and a wonderful coconut ice cream to go with it. One thing that has changed is the ability for the four of us to share one very sweet dessert and be quite content. 

  The coconut ice cream is resting on a macaroon-like cookie, which we enjoyed a lot, too. 


To celebrate the first of October I'd like to share this photo. I took it in the area around the restaurant. It's the wholesale flower district and I loved this bright and colorful display.  Welcome October!

I want to apologize for skipping a post yesterday. I saw Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya," last night. It was a good production, but the story is bleak and sad and I wasn't up to posting when I got home. 

Please stop by tomorrow. It's time for a book giveaway.

As ever thanks for visiting and enjoy the autumn. Take good care.  

12 comments

Nellie said...

It is wonderful to be able to keep up with friends from many years ago! It sounds like a very special lunch.

BLOGZOOM said...


Hi Carol,

So, October arrived! And some good parties until the end of the year.

Wonderful photo of flowers!

Kisses

Melinda said...

It is always good to make
new friends,that is one of
the many reasons I started
blogging.
It is harder to keep in contact
with old friends as we get older,
but I don't why. I guess we get
busy.

M : )

TARYTERRE said...

Blogging has let me meet many new people and I'm grateful for each one. My best friend and I live far apart but we Skype twice a week and write too. You are lucky yours live mostly close by. Autumn days are here, for sure. ENJOY!

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I don't think any of us can keep up with posting every day any more. Love the beautiful flowers...the colors of Fall! Hugs!

Kerin said...

Such a great post!
Love your thoughts, and the poem. It's nice to make new friends.

Blessings to you ....

Kerin

Barb said...

I treasure my "old friends" even more now that I'm also old! However, I've made some new friends in the last several years who are also important in my life. That dessert looks yummy!

Paula said...

That dessert looks delicious and those flowers are amazing. I would have taken home a bouquet. I love my internet friends They are so faithful....

Sola Scriptura said...

I really like the words to that friendship song! I'm so thankful friends, old and new!
That dessert looks so good... dessert is certainly a weakness for me. In fact, last night I had two chocolate cupcakes for my dinner.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Like you many of my friends were from work and faded away when I no longer worked there. However I do have a few that I keep in touch with and we've been close for almost 4 decades too. Nice you will have a visit from a blog friend. Even though she no longer blogs, that is how you met.

Ida said...

Friends are so wonderful and it sounds like you've made some really good ones.
The dessert looks yummy and the flower were beautiful.

BJ PUP said...

That dessert looks decadent and delicious.