Reconnecting with old friends
As we grow older, may we hold our old friends a little closer. Let us make time while time is still ours to give.
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As we grow older, may we hold our old friends a little closer. Let us make time while time is still ours to give.
As the years pass, friendship begins to carry a deeper meaning. We realize that we are no longer as young or as strong as we once were. Our bodies slow down, illnesses arrive without warning, and time with the people we love becomes increasingly precious.
Recently, my husband Martin met with his longtime friend Jun who had been hospitalized for more than 50 days due to dangerously low sodium levels and a series of mild strokes. They have known each other since their university days and were once college housemates.
I was pleasantly surprised that Martin spent more than half a day with Jun. Usually he steps out for only an hour or so. When he got home, he told me why this visit had been different.
Old friends, he said, have a way of bringing back the purest moments of our youth: the adventures, laughter, and dreams shared without calculation or ulterior motive. There is no need to impress each other or explain who we have become. In the company of an old friend, we can simply be ourselves.
Jun has always been that affable and generous guy everybody loves — the popular “Mr. Nice Guy,” who has remained kind and approachable to this day. His generosity is not measured only by the things he gives. He generously shares his stories, experiences and, most importantly, his time.
Time is perhaps one of the most meaningful gifts we can offer. A friend who sits patiently beside a hospital bed, listens without checking the clock, brings a favorite meal, offers a ride to a medical appointment, or sends a simple message asking, “How are you feeling today?” is performing an act of love.
These gestures may appear small, but to someone recovering from illness, they can be sources of courage. Generosity does not always require money. Sometimes it means remembering a birthday, calling a friend who has gone quiet, praying with someone who is afraid, and allowing an old pal to retell a familiar story because it brings him joy.
The Bible reminds us in Ecclesiastes 4:9–10: “Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”
We are relieved and grateful that Jun has been given a second chance at life. His recovery has also given his friends a second chance: to reach out, rebuild connections, and relive the good times they once shared.
His experience gently reminds us not to wait for illness before reconnecting. Many friendships fade not because of disagreement, but because life becomes busy. We postpone the visit, forget to make the call, and assume there will always be another day.
Good and kind people like Jun are needed in this world. Their presence inspires others to become more generous, patient and compassionate.
As we grow older, may we hold our old friends a little closer. Let us make time while time is still ours to give. Sometimes, the most generous thing we can offer is our presence and the assurance that no friend must face life’s difficult seasons alone.
