Thursday, March 1, 2012

Old Friends

Please turn your volume up so you can hear my Playlist
as Simon and Garfunkel sing their beautiful song to you.

Old friends, old friends,
sat on their parkbench like bookends.

A newspaper blown through the grass

falls on the round toes
of the high shoes of the old friends.

Old friends, winter companions, the old men
lost in their overcoats, waiting for the sunset...

The sounds of the city, sifting through trees,
settle like dust on the shoulders of the old friends.

Can you imagine us years from today,
sharing a parkbench quietly?

How terribly strange to be seventy.

Old friends, memory brushes the same years,

silently sharing the same fears.

Old friends.
- Paul Simon

Last night, my husband sat with an old and dear friend, whose time on earth is coming to an end prematurely. He treasures the hours spent with this good man and mourns the reality that their time together will be far less than they had expected. This morning, I want to celebrate the value of the beautiful relationships we create in this life and the loving friends who make them possible. We are grateful for a sure knowledge that, while our mortal days are limited, the bonds we form here are eternal, in and through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ (who is, of course, the oldest and dearest Friend we could ever imagine).

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13

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37 comments:

Dana @ Bungalow'56 said...

Sue,
I grew up listening to Simon and Garfunkle. Some of my earliest memories are with them playing in the background. Along with Nana Mouskouri, Anne Murray, and and Australian gentelmen who's name is eluding me.
Thanks for a memory jog.
It's the only type of jog I appreciate : )
Dana

Lola said...

Yes, Simon & Garfunkle were part of my growing up too!

Such a wonderfully reflective post, Sue. Yes, old friends and great memories: what a wonderful combination! Couldn't agree more.

Unknown said...

What a wonderful things old friends are! We don't have to explain things they already understand.

Unknown said...

I'm so sorry that your husband is losing his friend. I just found out that the only friend I've made here is moving in a week.
At least we can communicate still.
The older I get the more I value friendship.
You're right...having the knowledge of "the Plan" makes it a little more bearable, when we lose our friends.

To the Toy Box and Beyond said...

love your pictures Sorry to hear about your husbands friend

anitamombanita said...

Sue, I loved the photos you posted along with this wonderful song.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

Grandma Honey said...

What a sweet tribute to your friend, and great lesson for all of us.

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

Weren't they the best musical duo? One of my favorite CDs is their greatest hits.

I'm praying for all of you, Sue. Loss of loved ones takes a piece of us with them, BUT - we can say, 'I'll see you soon. Keep a light on for me.' and mean it.

AMEN to your last paragraph.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

What a great post and a great song!
hugs, Linda

Momza said...

Beautiful music and images to go with your thoughts, Sue. Old Friends know the path to our hearts' gate and always bring a smile with them to visit.

LeAnn said...

This was a beautiful and loving post. I loved the music and thoughts. My husband also has a dear friend to visit who probably doesn't have much time either. Friends are such a precious gift to us and I am glad it is eternal.

Leovi said...

Nice pictures, great old friends. I wish him well. Greetings.

Wendy said...

Best to you and your husband! Friends surely help us and are comforting. I hope peace attends both of you in this transition.

Darlene said...

I love listening to Simon and Garfunkle. When you said that Dave had lost an old friend I started to cry. I'm wondering if this is the Doctor that Karin works for. I am so sad for Dave. I know what it is to lose an old friend. My very best friend was the first to go, and since then I have known of a few that are gone. Unfortunately, I have not found a lot of the friends I grew up with. Leaving Idaho for California when I was 16 really messed me up when it comes to keeping old friends or making new ones. The little town of Richmond was where they built a lot of ships during the war and that poor town grew from 20,000 to 200,000 overnight. It was not an easy place to make friends.

jen said...

Like Dana, some of my earliest memories are their songs and hearing my dad play them on the piano.

Jo said...

When my Dad lost his best friend, it was just the saddest of times ... lost of a great old friend is as difficult as loss of a family member ... but I always hold fast to the notion that love is eternal, and old friends will one day meet again.
very reflective and wonderful post Sue.

storybeader said...

What a beautiful song. I couldn't hear the music for some reason, so I sang the song to myself. Very touching. Sorry to hear about your DH old friend. {:-Deb

Ames said...

Great music Sue! I have an old friend. I have known her since we were 9 years old. Still as close as the day we met even though she lives in a different state from me. Old friends are the best!~Ames

karen said...

Old friends are so valuable. The best ones don't come along very often. As I've gotten older, I've become more aware of how tenuous this earthly life is, and I'm trying very hard to do better at keeping in touch with family and friends on a regular basis, instead of just that yearly Christmas card. We never know when our time here is up, and I'd hate to think I wasted a minute of it procrastinating making that call or arranging a visit. Good for Dave - it's difficult to realize your old friend will soon be moving on, but how joyous that reunion will be one day!

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

That was a beautiful post.
I love the pictures.
I hope your dear friend has comfort.

Donna said...

So hard to lose a friend. The ones I have the most history with are really so dear to my heart and the older I get, the harder I'm sure it will be to lose one of them. Condolences to your hubby.

CB said...

I think the older we get the more valued friendships become. Memories, good friends, and love are all priceless.

momto8 said...

so sorry about your husbands friend....they will meet again. Let us all be the best friends we can to each other while we are here on earth...
i am your newest follower...pls follow back if you can.

Brian Miller said...

i hope that one day i can have old friends like that you know...smiles...def nice song to go with your verse as well

Mormon Women: Who We Are said...

Beautiful.

Myrna Foster said...

Such a beautiful song, especially with your photos.

It's hard to lose friends, even when we know it's only temporary. It makes me grateful to know that when Lazarus died, Jesus wept. He knew he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, but he still felt sorrow.

Gattina said...

Very touching photos ! The oldest friendship I have dates from 1951 meanwhile we are both grandmas !

yaya said...

We've lost a few good friends last year. It's hard to say goodbye but we're hopeful for a great reunion! I love S&G and have all the original albums. I think they will know sooner than later how "strange 70" really is!

My name is Riet said...

What a beautiful post.OLd friends are the best and it is so sad when you loose them.

the ebay lady said...

Cute, cute blog! Love it!! I love the music too. The first song from Forrest Gump was on my wedding photo collage video, was a great song to go with pictures!
Anyway,I am new to my blogger, I just started a blog. I just followed you and hoping you'll follow back. Thanks in advance!

Pondside said...

It's so sad to say goodbye to old friends as they move out of this earthly life. Old friends are so dear! On Wednesday a friend of over 35 years will be in town from across the continent. I'll take the day off work and we'll roar around the south Island so that I can show her all my favourite stops. We'll talk continuously and stock up memories until the next time we meet.

~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

Having an old friend by your side is the best thing in life. Sorry to hear that your husband's old friend is slipping away..but we will see them again if we keep the faith!

H said...

It's a very hard thing to say goodbye to an old friend. The hole they leave never really fills.

The music I was hearing was Sesame Street. I turned off the sound and sang Old Friends in my head :)

Tonya said...

So sorry your husband's dear friend is ill. Friends are the true treasures in life. Hugs to you and your husband.

The Poet said...

Hello.
Wonderful, heartfelt post & photos.
Love that S & G song.
Friends are indeed the flowers of life.
Thanks for sharing & visiting.

Oh Love

Splendid Little Stars said...

lovely in every way!
wonderful photos and great words.
a sad story about your husband's friend. a great reminder to cherish the friends and time that we share with each other.

Jenny said...

One of my favorite songs of Simon and Garfunkles. I met Paul Simon once...he was a friend of my English teacher in high school (now THAT was a complicated story) and he took me backstage after a concert to hang out!

Loved this outstanding little post down memory lane!

Thank you for sharing it.

A+