Make New Friends but Keep the Old…

I recently had a speaking engagement in a city where I’d lived. It had been several years since I’d visited there, so I extended my business trip to stay for the weekend to see friends.

I really enjoyed returning to a place where I’d spent many happy years, but I must admit that I was constantly saying things like, “That wasn’t here when I lived here” or “This looks just the same as it did years ago.”

The best part of the weekend was reconnecting with friends and colleagues. Social media allows us to stay connected with people we don’t see often, but there is nothing like actually being together to re-kindle friendships and relationships.

While most of my time was spent with good friends, I also met new people along the way. Hearing their stories added a lot to my experience. I now have new friends with whom I can stay in contact, people I hope to see again soon. We’ll stay in touch on social media, and I will keep track of their travels and other life events of interest. I will look forward to seeing how the kids and grandkids grow while building new friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime.

This walk down memory lane reminded me of a song I learned in Girl Scouts and many of you probably know it too. Lucky for you I am only giving you the words and not including me singing the song. So here it is:

“Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver but the other gold.”

I’m challenging you to consider if you have friends you haven’t connected with in a while.  If so, do it today. You don’t have to fly across the country to connect—a phone call or a Facetime chat will work as well!  Just don’t let too much time go by without connecting! Don’t, however, get so hung up on old friends that you miss out on meeting new people and forming new friendships.  Remember, “one is silver but the other gold.”