The Friends We Collect Along the Way

Life has a funny way of giving us little gifts wrapped in unexpected packages and of the most enduring of these is friendship. The kind of friendship that stretches across decades, survives life changes, and sticks with you, and the friends we collect along the way.

Over the years, I noticed that our friendships fall into distinct categories, high school, college, work and what I like to call the neighborhood and beyond era. Each group carries a different vibe and yet the beautiful thread through all of them is the shared journey of growing up, growing older, and growing more into ourselves. Let me share what I have experienced. 

The College Crew: Where It All Began – The Friends We Collect Along The Way

There is something magical about the friends you meet in college. Maybe it’s because you’re all wide-eyed and slightly panicked together? It’s the first time living away from home, navigating dorm life, bad decisions and 3 a.m. philosophical debates over pizza. 

For me, it started the very first week of college, I met two women who would become soul sisters for life. Every summer, we plan our annual reunion with the military level calendar coordination. “ Okay you are free June 12-14 but not the 16th, and I’m out July 6 -9 but back on the 10th, We always manage to find a day.

Meet The Crew

Our tradition consists of planning a lunch. 5 hours later, sharing an untold amount of belly laughs, forgotten stories, as well as what is going on in our lives now, we take a brief moment to  look around and the waiters are getting the place ready for dinner service? We always make note of the time warp, how did lt get so late? There were years when we barely spoke, raising kids, careers, life just happened. But the connection never disappeared. When we reconnect , it’s like no time has passed. Our lives have changed, but our friendship hasn’t.

 One’s still very much very social and vibrant, she always was and now has become an accomplished weaver and choir singer! lighting every room she enters. The other friend remains our wise counselor, no matter what chaos was swirling around. You could count on her calm and thoughtful demeanor advice like a lighthouse in the fog. Her grace and insight grounded us then and still does, not to mention her incredible dry wit which always brings incredible insight and laughter.  And me? Apparently, I’m still the one shouting “let’s do this!” with or without a plan. The three of us have grown and evolved, we have all stayed true to ourselves at the core. We were a perfect trio back then and we still are. 

The Neighbor Who Became my Lifeline

Next up, the friend who lived just across the street. We car-pooled our girls to school on a rotating basis every week. Between juggling drop- off lanes, early release days, and our own work schedules, we became experts at multi-tasking and at supporting each other during these busy times. 

Even now when we catch up once a year, it feels seamless as if no time has passed. We share parenting victories, and those “remember when “ stories that remind us how far we have come. She’s seen the messy side of my life and still loves me anyway. 

The Vacation Friend who became a Lifelong Soul Sister : The Friends We Collect Along the Way

And then there’s the friend I met during the winter break at our favorite pool. We’d spend hours floating on pool noodles, talking about our families, planning our next pool party or just taking in the sun and staring at the sky. 

Our deep dive conversations literally and figuratively are my favorite kind of therapy. She always reminded me how wonderful it can be just to plant roots in one spot. No matter the distance, our shared connection of love of family and friends keeps us close. 

The Tapestry We Weave Together

Each friend, each era, is a thread in the tapestry of life. Some threads are bright and bold, others are soft and steady. But together they form something beautiful. These are the people who remind you of who you were, who you’ve become, and who you are still becoming.

In a world that changes faster than you can say “Where’s the TV gadget”, it’s profoundly comforting to know that some things like “old friends” and inside jokes never lose their power. 

Whether we’re reminiscing about the past, navigating the now, or dreaming about the future, these friendships are my compass, the friends we collect along the way.  And for that I’m endlessly grateful.

The Science of Why Friendship Keeps Us Healthy

“Friendship isn’t about who you’ve known the longest. It’s about who walked into your life, and said, “I’m here for you and proved it.”  Unknown

Please watch for the next post, I’ll be exploring the joys and beauty of choosing to stay rooted during retirement, because not all adventures require a suitcase. 

Come Along!

Thanks for being here,

-Soraya

A Little About Me