The importance of friendship ...

What a wonderful weekend the past one was.  I had a visit from a very old friend (we've known each other forever!) and as we relived the past, I realised just how important our friends are to us.  How we should cherish each other and always be there for one another.  May and I grew up together, we spent all day with each other, six days a week and although we left school nearly ten years ago (yes really, eek!), it was as if we had only seen each other last week.  Conversation flowed easily and there were no awkward silences.  There was only one thing missing, our other dear friend Kathy.  The three of us were inseparable at school and I miss them dearly.  Thinking about friendship made me realise just how wonderful it is to have friends.  I am very lucky to have five best friends, one who I share every wonderful moment with.  However, I am quite sad that four of them live so far away.  It is much easier to keep in touch these days, with e-mail, texting and I have now discovered WhatApp (how awesome is it?! If you are overseas and want to keep in touch, message me and I'll send you my mobile number).  Where was I?  Oh yes, no matter how easy it is to e-mail/text, it really isn't a substitute for chatting, walking with each other and sharing your lives.  You just can't beat having a coffee together, walking arm in arm and sharing future plans.  Being with your closest friends is the best tonic in the world.  No matter what stress or time pressure you are under, what sadness you are going through, nothing can't be made that little bit better by being with someone that cares.  Someone who knows your name, your circumstances and loves you no matter what.  Someone who will laugh with you, cry with you and always be there.  Someone who knows that you'll do the same for them.

I met May and Kathy at the beginning of secondary school, seventeen years ago (crikey that makes me feel old).  We were starting at Penrhos College, a lovely school overlooking the sea.  All three of us were nervous for one reason or another.  I was terrified, I didn't know anybody and although I wasn't too bothered by it at the time, I didn't really fit in with all of the rich girls in the school.  To be honest, meeting Kathy and May was the best thing that happened to me there, apart from the excellent education and managing to score one goal on the hockey pitch (sport was not my forte).  We instantly formed a strong bond and we all needed each other.  I was so lonely in my first year and cried every day.  Spending my time with Kathy and May helped me discover lots of wonderful things; friendship, fun, not to mention being force fed dried seaweed!  I even started to enjoy my time there.  

Just a small part of the Penrhos stained glass

After school, we never lost touch, no matter what miles were between us.  Recently those miles have been far.  It is a long way from here to Hong Kong.  But we've never stopped being friends.  We write and we are always there for each other.  It was wonderful news that May had an opportunity to be over here for a while and was coming to visit me.  I was nervous of cooking and being a disappointment, but it was such a wonderful weekend.  May was happy to have home cooking and we talked non-stop.  We went to visit our old school, saw some of our teachers (it was nice to know that they actually wanted to see us too!) and saw the beautiful stained glass that was moved up from Penrhos College to Rydal after the school had closed.

We visited Betws-y-Coed, ate massive Mr Whippy ice creams with flakes and struggled to stand up in gale force winds.  We cuddled kittens, had homemade scones and pizza, and saw beautiful colours in the sky.  But one of the best things of all?  We called Kathy!  We dialled up and bridged the gap across the miles.   Talking to two of my best friends like magic!  Thank you for making my weekend lovely and for still being my bestest friends.