Finding Ninee » Sharing our parenting and special needs stories with heart and humor.

Make New Friends but Keep the Old (One is Silver and the Other Gold) (And Happy Anniversary, Julie and Charlie)

We used to sing a song in Girl Scouts “Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.” It’s funny how a lyric floats back to us decades later, simply because we stumbled on a photo that brought memories of so many friendships to mind.

Some friendships are gone but not forgotten. Others, good riddance, and others still, we cherish. The new and the old.

make new friends but keep the old

Sometimes, we’re lucky enough to meet people we’re able to share our deepest laughter and sorrows with. They’ve seen us at our most neurotic. They’ve witnessed our bravest moments of walking toward and of walking away.

We’ve been there for theirs, too. For break-ups, and spontaneous scuba diving in Turks and Caicos. We’ve driven to another state to pack them up, along with their things. Helped them file a restraining order.

They’ve been confidants and conspirators.

We’ve seen births, and deaths, and all of the between moments with them. They’ve held our hair while we vomited, and held our hands when we needed them steadied.

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.

New Friends

I’ve met women amazing and pure. Powerful and vulnerable.

I cherish them. They feel like family and it’s hard to imagine not being able to text saying “Can I run something by you?” In real life friends. Online friends. I love them.

I don’t know how I’d have navigated motherhood without these new friends. I don’t know how I’d have navigated myself without these new friends.

Old Friends

While I’m so very grateful for my courageous and real friends I’ve only found in recent months and years, this particular blog post is about old friends.

About two old friends, specifically.

***

When I was hovering between 17 and 18 years old, I took a flight from Denver to San Francisco to start a life of independence paid for by my parents.

College.

I boarded with a rose in hand and tears in my eyes (omg how cliche is that??!!!).

I’d sat in non-smoking because my dad was listening when they asked. Julie sat in smoking, because that’s where the cool kids sat. Back then, people smoked on airplanes. I know.

Julie and I caught one another’s eye because we’d both been admiring the same boy.

On landing, young women held signs saying “Mills College,” and we both went. Later, the Fruck, and a walk of shame.

Julie’s sister Sara visited a couple months later, and the three of us have been best friends since.

A road trip when we asked for Vampires to come to us. Peed in a Graveyard (but not on graves because duh).

Graduation and then, roommates.

Star Trek watchers.

Sign language singers. The stuff of youth that glues us to one another’s forevers in spite of missed moments and missed phone calls.

Life watchers and keepers.

***

Julie got married on the day between The Ides of March and St. Paddy’s Day. Her sister Sara and I were her co maids of honor.

make new friends but keep the old

Bride Julie in the center with her sister Sara (right) and me (left) kneeling

Or, more appropriate to the time, her Co-Maids-of-Ho. We wore matching pantsuits and braids, and because Sara had broken her arm and had an ugly cast, we both used the fabric left over from braid bows to cover her cast, and put a matching fabric ribbon on my twin arm.

If you look closely, you can see the swatch of fabric on my right arm to match the fabric covering Sara’s cast. Also OMG Braids!

I was never offended when people thought that the three of us were sisters.

We were sisters. We are sisters.

Happy Anniversary, Julie and Charlie, and Happy Co-Maids-of-Ho to us, Sara.

(I’m sisters with my new friends, too. You know who you are. Thank you for you.)

***

This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post, in its new format where each week is the same but different. This week, we’re sharing a photo and the story behind it. Happy to host along with my co-host Kenya G. Johnson from Sporadically Yours!

Join us for next week’s 5th Friday easy peasy prompt where we share something previously written.

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  • Kerry - Silver and gold. I love that. Old and new. I am taking part in this photograph prompt this week because I have a specific photo of myself that was just taken. Thought I’d share, but thanks for sharing your story of friendship Kristi.March 23, 2018 – 1:01 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - I’m so glad you’re taking part of the prompt this week. I read your post and WOW, so cool that you’re on TV spreading the good message of what theaters can do for people who are blind to enjoy them more. So awesome of you!March 23, 2018 – 8:04 pmReplyCancel

  • Kenya G. Johnson - Wow those are beautiful braids! And looks like it was a fun wedding. That’s sweet how you all met. I remember smoking on the plane. Seems like you had to walk through it to get to coach. And I used to fly alone a lot so I’d be sitting at the front of coach and separated from non smoking by a pulled together curtain. Side note: I have an old friend who is still a friend that likes to remind me of when I christened her new apartment (in the carpet) at her housewarming party. No chance to hold my hair back. LOL!March 23, 2018 – 6:42 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - It was a fun wedding. It was untraditional, fun, personal, and perfect for the two of them, you know? LOL to your friend reminding you how you christened her new apartment’s carpet. I guess we all have memories like that! 🙂 Bummer she wasn’t next to you to hold your hair, though. 🙁March 23, 2018 – 8:06 pmReplyCancel

      • Kenya G. Johnson - My husband (then boyfriend) was with me in the bathroom. Can’t remember if he held my hair. We were officially dating but it was very new like he might have been meeting those friends for the first time. I can remember wondering if I had blown it in terms of being an attractive “mate”. LOL!March 24, 2018 – 12:13 pmReplyCancel

        • Kristi Campbell - Oh wow! That’s too funny you’d wondered if you’d still be an attractive “mate!” The stuff that’s different when you’re first dating, right? Wow. That’s actually really sweet! <3March 25, 2018 – 8:17 pmReplyCancel

  • Vickie - I see someone already mentioned those braids but seriously, they are awesome!March 23, 2018 – 11:44 amReplyCancel

  • Lizzi - Your hair looks like fairytale princess gold in those pics xoMarch 23, 2018 – 5:36 pmReplyCancel

  • Emily - Aww such great stories of friendship and sisterhood! Those braids and matching cast materials are the best!March 23, 2018 – 7:27 pmReplyCancel

  • JT Walters - Dude, not all of us are as pretty as you in photos. Some of us hide from the camera. I agree but people who are no longer my friends never really were in the first place. Sadly. But my friends are my friends period although I’ve never drive to another state to help someone file a restraining order or move.

    In many ways we are constantly evolving. Our friends change and so do we. One of my dear friends hated me after I got pregnant because she was infertile. Another friend had a baby at 15 and became a grandmother when my son was a toddler.

    Sadly again I grew up wealthy and had an abundance of friends. Funny how the perception of wealth gives you friends although arguably the wrong kind. Without wealth, those people are gone which is a blessing.

    Understanding and accepting myself for who I am has made it easier to love my friends and myself and if anything that is the platinum ring of friendship but dude not picture. LOL😊March 23, 2018 – 10:16 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - So the fact I hide from myself in photos now? That was just a photo of the back of my head, 20+ years ago… I’m glad you have friends that are your friends and know the difference from them and the ones who suck… Here’s to understanding and accepting ourselves and our friends, when we can.March 23, 2018 – 11:10 pmReplyCancel

      • JT Walters - I knew when I had a lot of money that is why I had so many friends but I tried to rise above it. I look at having limited resources as clearing out the fake friends to make room for the real ones. We have met in real life so I believe we are friends.

        But yes, accepting and loving ourselves defines our relationships so cheers to that and dude don’t hide. You are beautiful. I have pictures with friends from two weeks ago at the Ruck March/Swearing in cerimony of the officer’s of Gold Star Moms. I just thought only you were suppose to post a photo. I shit the photo to you in an email.March 23, 2018 – 11:31 pmReplyCancel

        • Kristi Campbell - Here’s to accepting ourselves as we age and all that scary stuff. I love the photo you sent! What a fun group of women making a difference!March 25, 2018 – 8:18 pmReplyCancel

  • Dana - Wow, those braids! My pic this week is of old friends too, also with very dated hairstyles. P.S. That looks like it was a super fun wedding!March 23, 2018 – 10:27 pmReplyCancel

  • Pat B - I love the song that you used for your title. I can see how the three of you could have been thought of as sisters.

    That was quite the trip through all your memories, memories triggered by a photo. Time flies by whether you are having fun or think you are having fun. 🙂

    Once again, thank you for the challenges for this blog hop!March 24, 2018 – 1:28 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - It’s funny how much one photo can trigger 1,001 memories, isn’t it? And time does fly, when you are having fun (or think you are – too funny as some things were fun “back then” that seem silly or horrifying now!). Thanks again for participating in the hop. I enjoy all of your posts.March 24, 2018 – 8:52 pmReplyCancel

  • Roshni - aww! Lovely tribute to your friends! It’s so true that old friends are truly gold!
    Sorry, as usual, I have not been consistent with my visits here!March 28, 2018 – 5:30 pmReplyCancel

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