Friends

When Pete turned 60, I decided to invite 60 people to share his birthday with him. A colleague said "Surely you don't have 60 friends to invite? I don't have 60 friends." She went on to say that as some of her friends had emigrated and some had died, she didn't bother to make new ones - friends were just too much trouble.

How sad - to live for 60 years and not have at least 60 friends. I have old friends (in age and length of time I've known them) and young friends, and friends of my children's who became my friends, and friends I have met recently. There's Alex the car guard at the gym, who I count as one of my friends. He wasn't there today, and I felt quite resentful of the girl with the pony tail who was there in his place. There are friends I don't see for years, and when we meet up again, it's as though we have never been apart. There are people who share a particular part of my life or my history, and so are special to me. And there are my friends who are also family - my kids, my sister, my huband.

How do you define a friend? I don't know - is it someone who you know really, really well, and who is intimate with all parts of your life? Someone who makes you feel friendly? Someone whose name you know? Someone who adds something to your life? Do you only say people are your friends if you have known them a certain amount of time? I don't think so.

I am so blessed with the many friends I have. I never feel alone, because there are so many special people in my life. We shared dinner with three of them tonight - Mike and Elaine Smallbones and Mike Ford - what a special meal, sharing a couple of bottles of wine and lots of talk.

How many friends do you have?