I’ll start. In this case it’s not my personal story, yet I woke this morning and when I read it, it moved me. Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer have a special friendship that I wish was celebrated more often.
As a big tennis fan, their accomplishments on the court are without a doubt impressive. Yet they are so much more than their stats. In this time of apparent narcissism they are an example of how things can be.
If you’d like to read Roger’s note to Rafa here’s a link:
Anyway I hope others will share friendship stories that others might enjoy.
The other week, H and I hosted friends At our home for several days, followed by nearly a week with them at Kona air bnb. I’ve known the woman since we were in 8th & 9th grades together. She was an army kid and moved a lot, including to LA after 9th grade. Her dad retired there and she lived there since.
We’ve remained close friends, visiting one another and participating in milestones together and traveling on family trips together Yellowstone, DC, Alaska, Japan). Our kids even listed her as the emergency contact when they attended college in LA, reasoning she could get to them a lot sooner than we could.
It’s been a wonderful friendship!
I have another friend also from that time period that I’m in close touch with and am even close to get extended family.
One of my other friends I’ve known since shortly after HS and includes a friend group that has mostly known one another and been friends since kindergarten!
H has a friend he’s known and been buddies with for over 75 years—they met in kindergarten!
A good friend story. Several years ago, my car engine died on the way to the beach - literally the day the engine went on recall! I called AAA and they could tow me for free the 100 miles to the beach, but they only had room for 2 people, not 4. We were 5 miles from nowhere on a Saturday, and the closest town didn’t even have a car rental place.
I knew a friend of older S was living at the beach for the summer, and I asked S to call him and I’d PAY him to come get 2 of us. Sadly, he was working. However, he said his parents were at their beach house. H called him. He was standing on the beach and said “I will come get you now.” He dropped everything, hopped in the car, and drove 100 miles each way to come get H & younger S, while older S and I waited for the tow truck. Refused any kind of $$$, though we did take them out to dinner one night. That is a friend to keep forever!
My FIL had a best friend since they were in kindergarten. They did everything together. They were closer than twin brothers. They went into the military together. Vacationed together. Raised families together. Sadly, the friend died this spring 85 years later - one month before my MIL!
In 8th grade, my school guidance counselor asked if I would sit next to “Jane” at lunch because she was always alone. I remember sighing to myself, because Jane was a little different, to say the least. But I did, and lo and behold, she was quite a wonderful person. That was 47 years ago and we’re still best friends. She comes up to Maine every fall. She never married, and recently she gave each of my kids a nice amount of money, because she said she’d rather do it now than in her will.
So bless that school counselor - he didn’t know what he started.
I saw this post by Roger in my Instagram first thing this morning and also loved it! The friendship shared reminds me of the wonderful Sally Jenkins story from last year on Chris Evert & Martina Navratilova (award winning long piece!).
Gift link for anyone who might enjoy:https://wapo.st/4fyImxY
When my son was ill and we were 200 miles from home, he was finally released late in the day. With our other child, and the ill one with a picc line still in, we were discharged.
On the way home, ina thunderstorm, in the dark, our car died in the midst of central nowhere. I called my friend Susan to have her call us a tow truck. She called back to say no tow truck, she had called her own sister, 40 miles from us, to pick us up and meet Susan halfway.
So this stranger arrives, IDs herself, tucks us into her truck – with food! — and we drive off and eventually meet Susan, who takes us the rest of the way home.
In the driveway, I am crying as DH carries the kids in. I try to tell her how thankful we are and she says “I know your heart” and kisses me on the head.
(Five years ago Susan died of cancer without ever telling any of us she was sick. It was quite a shock)
I agree. The mutual respect in both cases makes me feel happy. I think they’re examples of successfully balancing being competitive and confident without the bragging and looking down on others. Their humility and the ability to age gracefully over such long professional careers is inspiring.
Did you know Rafa supposedly has never broken a racket in anger?!! That’s amazing! In his 60 Minutes interview he said “for me, breaking a racket means I’m not in control of my emotions”.
And Uncle Toni has said: “Nadal has never broken a racquet. It would be showing a lack of respect to people who actually have to buy the equipment to play the sport”.