That's our Frances on the right and there's her friend Charlotte on the left. They are having a little girl dinner in our garden. How many years ago was that? I guess that they are about eight years old in the picture so it would have been around twenty two years ago.
They have been friends since they were three years old and they are still friends now. They enjoy a special bond. They attended the same play group, the same primary school and the same secondary school before going on to the same university - The University of Birmingham.
Later, like Frances, Charlotte gravitated to London for work and after some romantic disappointments she met James her handsome husband-to-be. She is going to marry him on Wednesday of next week in Sheffield Town Hall. And on the Saturday afterwards there will be a proper wedding party at Whirlow Farm with food and music and dancing and beer and wine and flowers. Frances will be the maid of honour.
I have been asked to take photographs at the Town Hall civil ceremony that will probably only have half a dozen people in attendance. That is an honour for me but I hope it is a nice day with good light to illuminate those special moments.
Like our Frances, Charlotte has always had a proud, independent spirit. She is thoughtful, intelligent and funny. It's quite splendid that both young women are getting married in the same calendar year and of course Charlotte will be the maid of honour at Frances's wedding.
I wish I had a friend like that - someone who has been very close for an entire lifetime. But I left my East Yorkshire village long ago and I have no one like Charlotte. It must be lovely and rather comforting to have friend like her. A fellow traveller. Someone you will still be close to even when you grow old.
I haven't had anyone continuously in my life but I am now working with a woman knew when we were both school children. I mustn't have seen her in 20 years or more but we speak to each other as old friends. It is a lovely thing.
ReplyDeleteI hope Charlotte will consent to you showing us some photos of her wedding and I hope Frances and you both enjoy your special roles! Will your eyes leak, do you think? I rather suspect they will
Yorkshiremen's eyes never leak Kylie... well, not in public anyway. How delightful that you reconnected with your old school friend.
DeleteWith my father in the military, I led a very itinerant childhood so long term friendships simply didn't survive, especially back in the day when long distance phone calls were exorbitant and snail mail was the only means of contact. Would usually write for six months or so and then correspondence would dry up. But not complaining. Would not have missed the many places I have lived and the extensive travel I experienced. Gave me a broader perspective of the world as a child so I have never lived under the illusion that one way of life was the right way--or that different cultures were to be feared. Perhaps a fair trade, yes?
ReplyDeleteProbably Mary - yes. But having a friend like Charlotte must make the world seem less lonely.
DeleteIs it that girls form closer friendships that boys. I'm still in touch with friends from school and early twenties, but haven't seen most of them for decades.
ReplyDeleteI don't know Tasker. My son also has friends from his early childhood.
DeleteWhat a beautiful story of friendship, I wish both of them every happiness for the future, and yes to photos, the above two are gorgeous. Proud Dad!
ReplyDeletePerhaps this is how we measure our lives. I am sure that neither of them will mind me posting one or two of their wedding pictures here.
DeleteIf only we all had at least one friend like that, it would be a better world.
ReplyDeleteI agree. The slings and arrows of life would be much easier to bear with friends like that.
DeleteI wish I had a friend like that as well. My father in law just lost his best friend. They had been friends since they were small children and had kept in touch across distance, he in Canada, she in Holland and through marriages. They spoke weekly on skype and I can't imagine how much he must miss her.
ReplyDeleteSo precious. Your father had a real treasure.
DeleteI think younger generations may have an easier time maintaining old friendships because of the Internet and social media. In our day, if you moved away, that was it -- everyone was left behind unless you called or wrote the occasional letter. But now kids can chat in real time with their friends even from thousands of miles away. I'm not saying this is what kept Charlotte and Frances in communication, but I see it with kids at the school where I work -- they're in London, but they're still yammering away with friends in the states.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right Steve. Social media and the internet have a way of distorting "normality" or should I have said enhancing? By the way, "yammering" is a great word.
DeleteThose are some sweet pictures! How lucky Charlotte and Frances are to enjoy a special lifelong best friend. I'm still in contact with my childhood best friend who's also my oldest friend (we met at daycare before we started kindergarten) buy unfortunately we have only sporadic Facebook contact now. She did not grow up to be a person I can have much respect for. That makes me a little sad.
ReplyDeleteMost people drift apart and move on but it must be so nice to have someone who has been through it all with you. So many shared points of reference.
DeleteThe photos are sweet! Those are two lucky girls.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a recent photo of them. I must remember to do that.
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