No 10 Maintaining and rekindling old friendships

As you get older, the opportunities to make new friends start to dwindle as many are met at school, through the workplace, at playgroups and at the school gates as a parent. It is therefore important to keep up with precious friends and even contact those you haven't heard from for a while. Social media platforms such as Facebook and ,previously, Friends Reunited, are great for finding out what's going on in friends' lives both near and far but nothing beats face to face contact and a good old fashioned chinwag!

I was very lucky recently to have been contacted by a dear friend from college who I hadn't seen for 20 years. We were both worried that we wouldn't recognise each other but I guess the years have been kind and that wasn't an issue! We spent four hours chatting, drinking copious amounts of tea and coffee, eating lunch and promising faithfully that we wouldn't leave it another 20 years! This was also after the realisation that we would be in our 70s if we did!

I am lucky to have friends from many chapters of my life and hopefully that will continue for many years to come.