How would you describe your current friendships?

Over the weekend, I attended a relative’s wedding and spent my entire time looking around me, taking in all the stylish outfits around me. It had been a long time since I had attended a wedding, and I was in awe.

I was especially mesmerised by the women in their middle age, specifically in their late 50s and 60s, who graced the occasion. They all looked much younger than their age bracket, their ‘youngness’ taken a notch higher by the tasteful make-up, jewellry and elegant dressing. Colourful dresses, modest high heels and flamboyant fascinators.

I’m sure the men reading this are wondering what fascinators are – well, they are decorative hats pinned on the hair at an angle, worn during important or special occasions such as weddings.

On this day, I counted tens and tens of fascinators, all in jovial colours perched on women’s heads. I should also add that women in this age group formed the majority of invited guests, which, in itself, said something.

Long-lasting friendships

Also, majority of them had attended the wedding as a group. There were church groups which either the groom’s or bride’s mother belonged to, a number of chama groups, merry-go-rounds, if you will, groups of women that lived on the same street or area as the couple’s parents, groups of women who had attended the same schools with the mother of the bride or groom…you get the idea.

All these groupings sat in the same tables, and because each knew one another, they were having a blast, laughing loudly and clearly having a good time, a good time that permeated the entire space and infected everyone with good cheer.

Those ladies were among the last to leave the venue that evening. At their age, I assumed that their children were adults who had long since left home to start lives of their own, therefore they had no children waiting for them back home to be fed and generally taken care of.

They had, therefore, fully dedicated that day to support their friend who was giving away her child and to catch up with friends to their heart’s content. They had long realised one of the secrets to a long and happy life – good and long-lasting friendships.

Supportive friendships

Good friendship elicits laugher and happiness, and speaking from experience, when in the presence of friends, stress has a way of melting away, and by the time you are bidding one another goodbye, your heart is lighter, you are more optimistic, and the world is a good place again because you shed the load that you were carrying, after all, it is said that a problem shared is a problem halved.

Good friendship centres you, makes you aspire to become a better person and encourages you to seek growth. Besides, it adds years to your life. 

I looked at those women rocking their fancy fascinators, effortlessly living in the moment, and could not help thinking that when I got to that age, I want to be as full of life as they were, and even better, with supportive friendships that made me look forward to many more birthdays, friends that I could rely on to share my various milestones with.

Friends that I would grow old with. So, how would you describe your current friendships?

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