I have two amazing groups of friends: one is my “mommy” group and the other is my “childhood” group. I love them both with all my heart but there is something super-special about lifelong friendships. I know I am extremely blessed – not many can say they have friends from the time they were seven years old.
These are a few of the reasons why I cherish this group:
- We have known each other since we were seven (some eight or ten…) – We remember each other as little girls: pigtails, freckles, braces. Believe it or not, this is how I still picture each of them.
- We know each other’s parents and siblings – It is so comfortable to see the families of my lifelong friends and the memories that go along with them.
- The fact that our friendships have lasted this long – Let’s face it – we have all had friendships that either fade quickly or we realize they are not what we thought. When friends stick around for 45-50 years, you know they are special.
- We did high school together – The high school years are filled with some of the most fun times as well as some of the hardest. These are the people we went through it with. There is no forgetting that.
High School
- We made it through the fights – No friendship is perfect and ours are no exception. We have had arguments, tears, and even times when we did not speak. The important thing is that we were always able to forgive and come back together.
- We make a point of getting together – None of us want too much time to go between visits. We live in different places and lead different lives. Sometimes it is hard, but there is no way I would let too much time go by without seeing these lifelong friends.
At Our 50th Celebration
- We are there through the hard times – A lot of life happens in 53 years, and some of it is not good. In our group we have seen divorce, deaths of parents, siblings, spouses and even children. We all know we can count on each other to be there in a moment’s notice no matter how far apart we are.
- We laugh – Not just regular laughter; it is such hysterical laughter that makes my eyes tear and my face hurt. We laugh about old times and new times – everything is just funny when we are together.
- We don’t need to do anything – It is always fun to go to a restaurant or see a show together, but I believe we are all happiest when we just sit in someone’s living room talking, eating, drinking and laughing. The most fun are the sleepovers when we do all of this in our pjs.
Just Hanging Out
- Our children – They may not all know each other – some do and some don’t – but they all know of “us”. My daughters know about all of these women and their families and they admire how our friendships remain. I know they hope to have this for themselves one day.
- I can’t remember or imagine life without them – They are part of my world and have been for almost as long as I can remember. They are truly my lifelong friends.
Stacy was a stay-at-home mom/part-time preschool teacher whose life was turned upside down in 2011 when her husband passed away suddenly of a heart attack. She is raising her two fabulous daughters, now ages 18 and 20, who are turning into wonderful young women. In 2016, she started a blog about her experience as a young widow, The Widow Wears Pink. This led her to write for other publications including Huffington Post, Today.com, Scary Mommy, Grown & Flown, Kveller, Modern Loss, Thought Catalog, and many more. In 2018 she started Living the Second Act with fellow writer Mimi Golub. Today, Stacy and her daughters are happily living their “new normal” while always keeping her husband’s spirit alive.
