Many a long year ago when I was a student in London, I shared a flat with a couple of girls. And two tube stops up the line we discovered a flat shared by 4 lads which was christened ‘Widders’ because of the street they lived in. We got together often for laughs and food and evenings out together and it was huge fun, and has always had a special place in Hub’s and my hearts becoz that’s how we met … nooo, not love at first sight
… but we got there in the end 
We all became close friends and most have stayed in touch over the years (45 years … arrgghh … we really are that old) despite Hub and I moving many a time and oft. They patiently accepted yet another change to our entry in their address books (before mobile phones and the internet – remember that??) and although we ended up all over the country, somewhere there was always a Widderette offshoot.
At our friend’s 70th birthday bash yesterday (he was a Widders hanger-on and kept us all in gossip because he would always arrive to sleep on their couch or their floor at approximately 3 in the morning with some incredibly convoluted story) we saw some of these old and good friends for the first time in many years. We sat round the lunch table and nattered our heads off, and it was marvellous that it was still so easy and fun after all these years and separations.
What has made the friendship cement even stronger over the years, is that we were all young Christians at the time, enthusiastic about God and open and wanting to learn. It was one of the many things we talked about, and looking back I see now how formative it was for us all. It was really special to realise yesterday that we are all older Christians now, but still enthusiastic about God and wanting to learn. Every single one of them, and their wives too although some were not part of the original Widders bunch, is involved in some kind of outreach or charity or ministry, from Street Pastors to projects encouraging fair trade in African countries.
Wow. That is some blessing.
Godschool's Blog 
A lovely post Gilly. There are very few people I have kept up with over the longer term (only a small number). I suppose it helps that you all have something in common and have retained it over the years :yes: xxx
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Yes, I’ve always been surprised by the people who kept up and the people who didn’t. They are usually not at all what I expect.
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Oh wow, I am not in contact with people from that far back in my past. Some are on Facebook but it is just rare small talk. Whether it is because I lived somewhere so rural or that I struggle to feel a connection with people, my friendships seem to be a bit hit and miss.
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The important thing is to have a good friend or two :yes:
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How wonderful! That is so amazing and moving… Glad you had such a lovely reminisce and so on! Here’s to many more years of meet ups of the Widders gang! 🙂
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Thank you … I’m already mentally planning Hub’s 70th … (2 years’ time) – plenty more meet-ups possible before then :yes:
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Lovely bouncy youthful memories to continue to treasure.
Less of the ‘new friends in senility’! I trust you will all be mature enough to remember that your friendships will be equally as mature, since they will be well formed in your memories and be retrievable. You won’t need desktop computers or smart phones for that, just an App and a tablet (iPad shaped).
😉
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Sometimes good things take us by surprise.
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There’s a great scheme been developed in Liverpool, (I think) and it has won international, prizes. It invokes memories in dementia sufferers such that they can retrieve and communicate about them, all using a App.
I used to do something similar with my camera, a flash pen and a laptop computer for a relative with dementia. It really stimulated her and generated lots of conversations. Although, the best memory retriever was a relative her age who could talk with her about all sorts of local matters, friends and family. I was privileged to be a fly-on-the wall on a couple of occasions.
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I’ve been reading a most interesting book ‘contented dementia’ and this is exactly the sort of thing it advocates.
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My laptop always visited said relative with me, even when she was in hospital. Actually, that is when I started doing little ‘shows’, just after she had been assessed and encouraged to take residential care. I arrived shortly after the volcanic eruption her daughter endured. She was shooed off and I settled down with her mum. Calm descended very quickly. Half an hour later, when daughter looked in, there was no sign of what had occurred between her and mum. By then, mum wanted to carry on viewing with minimal interruption.
Nurses on the medical ward, at another time, were unsure about my laptop visits, The senior nurses kept an eye on me! The next day I was told that the lady had talked to them all evening about the pictures and especially the clouds in the skies, which, were a long term interest of hers. My laptop was welcome on the ward after that.
A rabbit did a wonderful job once. That’s for another time.
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Have you written up these experiences anywhere? They sound as if they would make a useful contribution to the debate.
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Thank you Gilly, I am not sure it is a debate at present, that may have already taken place. There are publications being highlighted in the media, probably written up on qualitative observations/research using I.T. which, sound much like stuff I was creating or putting together, solo, a few years ago.
The rabbit came out of knowledge, (ergo research) that animals- usually dogs and sometimes cats- can and do provide beneficial interaction. It was a particular set of circumstances that generated the event as well as personal knowledge of the individual’s personal history.
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I have a young friend with serious emotional challenges who was talking to her counsellor one day. She always sits hunched up with one foot on top of the other and the counsellor was encouraging her to have both feet on the floor and to experience ‘groundedness’. She found it impossible to keep up. One day the counsellor brought in her little dog. At one point during the session, without a word being said to it, the dog came over to my friend and sat on her feet. Astonishing.
However, I hope fervently that nobody will bring animals to see me when I’m old and sick … I’m not an animal person!
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The same could apply to allergies, no-one seems to think of those.
It is amazing what animals do pick up. A friend’s unfriendly cat eased its way in my direction at a time I was grieving, hopped onto my lap and stayed there. It was a warm and comforting little body, which I stroked, sometimes a bit absentmindedly.
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Yes indeed, one hears some very remarkable stories.
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Awwww….what a lovely post, I did enjoy it. Here’s to all you Widders being friends and doing good forever.xxx
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thank you, PP :wave: it was such a lovely time!
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It is good to have these life long friendships. 🙂
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It’s a great blessing :yes:
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How wonderful :yes:
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I’m still basking 😉
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Super post! What a treasure you have…individually…and as a ‘fellowship’ of friends. Excellent! Long may you enjoy the experience of friendship…AND…fellowship! Hugs! xx
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Thanks! there have been other ‘reunions’ but we’ve never been able to get to any. Friendship and fellowship like this is certainly a treasure.
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