The philosopher Aristotle said,

“In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge.”

Photo: San Sebastian, Spain

It was a bright clear sun-filled autumn day in San Sabastian, Spain, a warm ocean breeze waffling through the park.  Camera in hand, I set out to shoot some ocean/landscape images but found myself captivated by all the seniors sitting on park benches engaged in conversations and laughter.

Before I even opened my shutter, I just stood there soaking up the scene of these scattered benches filled with friendships, noticing that even at advanced ages, these relationships were important and rooted in their happiness.

After I captured the image of these two beautiful ladies visiting together I walked away with Carol King’s song on my mind ‘You’ve Got A Friend’.  It made me really think about how friendships play such an import role in life from grade school to the retirement home.

I have always understood that in life, the pyramid of relationships is that romantic partners, parents, children all come first leaving friendships at the bottom.  But I have witnessed just how important friendships are to one’s happiness; even though it is at the bottom of the pyramid is notably vital to our well-being and inner peace.

I find that friendship is a unique and special relationship because, unlike family relationships, we choose to enter into them – they are not a given. Friends are friends because they want to be.

Friendship is commonly defined as ‘being there for each other’ – ‘having the ability to be oneself with no fear of judgement, someone to talk to, to depend upon, someone with trust, and someone to enjoy time with’ - these special powers of friendship are solid but the circumstances of time most often changes that bond.

As life accelerates, people’s priorities and responsibilities shift, and friendships are affected.

In young adulthood, there is always time for friendship, and friendship plays an important role in forming who we are. But at the end of young adulthood we no longer have time for those friends. The time is poured, largely, into jobs and families.

As we move through life, we make and keep friends in different ways. Some make friends wherever they go, others just have friendly acquaintances, and some stay close with friends over the years (the losses of these close friends are incredible).

I love this image of these two women who have a special friendship late in life. Even though life has given them losses and many changes, they seem to have found the capacity to still find warmth, shared interests, kindness, empathy, understanding, enjoyment and trust from one another.

Friends make the world more beautiful – they enhance the quality and the pleasure of life.

You just call out my name

And you know wherever I am

I'll come running running running to see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I'll be there

You've got a friend

. . . photography - the art of capturing life, culture, and humanity