On Sunday morning I and my husband took a crazy three day trip to Meganisi in the Ionian Islands of Greece. This is absolutely not the kind of thing we do normally, but we were invited by my husband’s oldest friend to celebrate 50 years of friendship. He lives in Washington and they rarely meet up. It was certainly worth it. Apart from having one of the most relaxing breaks I have had in a long time (no sailing or sightseeing or cooking or anything), my husband and his friend spent the whole time just chatting almost non-stop. And I got to know his lovely wife, which was an added bonus.
Heading for home, while I knitted a sock, I thought about friendship and how important it is. More than that, how important it is to occasionally see one’s friends face to face. For all the convenience of Facetime or Zoom or WhatsApp, it is not the same as actually meeting up. I also thought about how one’s friendships change as life progresses. People come and go according to where you are in a particular time, and it is probably quite unusual to be able to spend a comfortable three days chatting to someone you met when you were seven years old.
I thought about my own friendships – the people I have known for decades from university or my life in London and the new friends I have made here in Norfolk, neighbours, fellow shop keepers in Fakenham (Claire Howard has been an absolute rock over the last few years), people I met at the school gates who have stayed in my life even when the kids left school. In all the busyness of life, it is sometimes hard to remember to touch base with people and I came away from Greece determined to catch up with friends who I have not seen for a while.
It reminded me how glad I am that one of the unexpected outcomes of my business is the regular Social Stitchers sessions and the friendships that have built up as a result of them over the last five years. I love watching people chat and get together and it gives me great joy to hear that people are meeting up outside the shop group. I know that often people come to us because they are looking for friends perhaps because they have recently moved, or because they have recently been bereaved and I hope they find them. And after all, If I had not set those groups up I would not have found the fabulous Mandy, who I count as a good friend.
So, this Saturday evening, I raise a glass to friendship and in particular to Ed and Niamh, good friends and wonderful and generous hosts. L’chaim, slainte, cheers!