Wednesday, July 2, 2008


When twilight drops her curtain down
And pins it with a star
Remember that you have a friend
Though she may wander far.
Lucy Maud Montgomery

Friendship

I spent this clear summer day at a photo shoot, in a quaintly picturesque little Southern town. The shoot took place in a perfectly preserved circa 1895 grade school, and one of my oldest friends was the talented photographer in charge. As she worked, I wandered through the beautiful old building, poking my head in rooms where only time separated me from the little students once sitting there. I thought of my own time as a little girl in school, a school not dissimilar to this one. Wide polished wood floors, high, high ceilings, gracefully tall open windows just made for staring through, lost in daydream.. Being in that setting, and being with my old friend, caused me to contemplate just how important these sort of touchstones are in one’s life. Places you can return to, and friends that you can be with, that remind you who you are. Who you really are. Deep down. When you spend time with a friend such as this, it is restorative. There is an ease of conversation emanating from a shared history, a finishing of each other’s sentences, comfortable companionable silences, and the salubrious joy of being understood without effort. That type of friendship, I’ve found, is harder when one get’s older. Perhaps we tend to grow a little more guarded with age. But if you are blessed, as I am, with an old friend, I wish you a clear summer day like mine and a chance to appreciate that friendship anew.

(And, in the spirit of new friendships, Edward and I received a very sweet award from the lovely lady at South Africa’s
Thatchwick Cottage. She tapped us both for the Arte Y Pico award and we are both honored. She has requested that we pass this award on to some of our friends and I have allowed Edward to made these selections. It does appears his choices have a bit of a theme.
Edward encourages you to visit his friends, Talulla at
Cupcakes at Home, Sunny and Celeste at A Bag of Olives,Tanner at Wonders Never Cease, Trudy at Just a Plane Ride Away, and Cooper at KatieDid.)

16 comments:

  1. How lucky for you - able to spend a day with an old friend. What amazes me about my friends from childhood, is the ability for us to just drop right back in where we left off. I do not see my childhood friends very often - maybe once every few years - but there is no discomfort, and we just start 'flapping' away. I have wonderful, newer friends, but the special ease of old friends just is not there.
    Thanks for the lovely reminder of how important these special people are.

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  2. Oh I love this post. Friendships like this are rare and hard to find. I have just one. I have known her since 2nd grade, attended all my school days with her, best friends in H.S running cross-country and track together, visiting each other while attending different colleges, and writing letters weekly and sometimes even daily, attending each others weddings, and still writing letters. But now she lives in another State and I sure do miss her. I haven't seen her in a few years. And when she moved she slowly stopped writing and then I slowly stopped too. I've been encouraging her to get a blog, so we can keep in touch. Because like you said, there really are no other friendships like these treasured life-long ones. So, thank you for the lovely reminder of the value of such a friend.

    Edward is sure cute! What kind of dog is he?

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  3. What a beautiful post. This Saturday past, I had a day very much like yours. I met a very dear friend from college, as well as a bridesmaid in my wedding, for a day of antiquing, laughter, hugs, and nostaliga. We had not seen one another in over 12 years and it truly felt as though time had not continued without our communication. We've both vowed to never lose touch of one another again. I am so grateful for that reconnection that so many times we never achieve once we've let a friend slip from our hands.

    Your site is so encouraging and the artwork for this post is mesmerizing and ethereal. Are you an Anne of Green Gables lover? You've been happily added to the list of favorite blogs and links at the Tea Society and are welcome to stop by for a cuppa anytime the mood arises. Blessings to you....

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  4. This is such a lovely piece on friendship! And the print is beautiful...who is the artist? I love it!

    This whirlwind of awards blowing through the bloggyhood is directing me to some new blogs. Thank you!

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  5. fairmaden, Edward appreciates the compliment! From what we can tell, he is pretty much a 50/50 mix of Chow-Chow and Wheaten Terrier. I posted his story a page or two back if you want to read more about him! He's just the best!

    rebecca, yes I do love Anne of Green Gables, and you are very sweet to add me to your favorites list. I shall happily do the same.

    and willow, the artist is Warren Davis. He did pastels and watercolors of dancers like Isadora Duncan in the early years of the 20th century. Pretty wonderful ones.

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  6. Dear Edward,

    Thank you for my award! You seem like you'd be a very nice friend. I wish I could invite you to visit me in England and run around in the beautiful meadows. We have foxes, moles and bunnies here. There was a mother fox and her baby who lived next door to us this spring. They were really cute!

    Love,
    Trudy

    PS My mom said that she really liked this post.

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  7. Dear Pamela and Edward thank you so much for your lovely comment today regarding the death of my soul mate dog Jake. It's been just over 5 months and most often I feel like I'll never get over saying goodbye to him. I miss him so much. Your kind words made me feel a little bit better. It means SO much when others share their stories of dog love and of grief and loss ... thank you.

    Miss Dixon sends a very special hello to Edward & Apple. xo, Susan

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  8. Edward and Pamela, Tanner and I are so honored! Thank you! You are both sweethearts and we send you two big hugs!

    And what a lovely post on friendship! One of the best things about blogging is finding new friends like you!
    Becky

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  9. Thank you! I'll look up Warren Davis online. Isadora Duncan was always a mysterious and intriguing person to me. I had to come back and get a second look at this painting. I love the style.

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  10. This is a beautiful painting - it brings back memories of my very best friend who left this world far too early. We shared desks in an old English school, pushed dolls in prams, rode bikes and picnicked in meadows, dated two boys who were best friends and shared a little old car making double dating fun! One became her husband, the other is still my friend. Ventures home across the pond brought us together for a week or two every year or so..........and then she was gone because her spirit was broken and being fragile she couldn't cope. Twenty years have passed and I miss her still every day. She has never been replaced.

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  11. Hi! Nice to meet you.
    Thanks for visiting. See you have a b log that is interesting and a bit different.
    Your post on friendship so good and so true. You are blessed to have an old friend from the past.
    Edward looks a lovely dog with a beautiful coat.

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  12. Old friends are like old letters we can't part with and read over and over and over. They can take us back to a simpler time in life and refresh our memories in an instant. Pure comfort. The schoolhouse sounds pretty charming too!
    Lisa & Alfie

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  13. Goodness, that is beautiful. Though I've often thought it myself, I've never seen it written out quite that way before. It certainly is a privilege to have friends whom you've known and who have known you back for a significant period of time. The older you get, the more you appreciate friendships that not only remind you of the past, but which stand the test of time!

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  14. I forgot to add, the accompanying quote to your photo brought a moment of nostalgia as I remember it from my youth!

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  15. I love this print. Very feminine and beautiful.

    Ahh...good friends from one's childhood. I only have two and they live abroad but I cherish them each day. Thanks for the post. I enjoyed reading it.

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  16. Ah, it has been far too long since I read Anne...thanks for reminding me, I will go and find her.

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!