Make new friends
And keep the old,
One is silver
And the other’s gold.
This was a song we used to sing as a round when I was a Brownie. As the theme of this edition is Social Networking, I have been thinking about what this means.
Since I joined Facebook in 2007 I have been able to reconnect with lots of old friends around the country and other parts of the world. It’s brilliant to keep in touch with school friends and see photos of their lives now, and how some people haven’t changed a bit since
they were eight years old! I feel I know my school friends’ children and husbands even though we’ve never actually met!
I have made online friends with other people who have Congenital Muscular Dystrophy like me, as well as parents of children with
the condition. I find this really helpful as we share experiences. I love connecting with the parents as we always wanted to know other people with Muscular Dystrophy when I was younger, when it was almost impossible to find out about other families. There are various
groups on Facebook I have joined too, to keep up to date with developments and news in the disability world. I also love being part of groups where I can share thoughts on television programmes; I feel I know lots of people through the ‘Addicted to Neighbours’ group!!
When my older sister Alexandra died at the end of August last year, we were able to quickly let all our friends know in all parts of the world, in America, Germany and New Zealand to name a few, either by email or through Facebook. We were overwhelmed by the replies we received; many were from people we hadn’t seen for years but all sent wonderful memories of times they had spent with us. We were particularly touched by messages from two childhood friends, now living in Australia and Spain who we hadn’t seen for 20 years but they still remembered our childhood games. At this time we were also upheld by so many friends coming to visit us at home, helping with cooking, cleaning and keeping us cheerful.
As I find it difficult to physically go out and meet friends, being able to communicate with everyone via my computer and phone is
fantastic for me. One of my best friends Antje lives in Germany and we chat on Skype and email regularly but our best times are her
holidays here. In December 2014, my best childhood friend Joanna got married and I was asked to be one of her bridesmaids with Alexandra my sister, and several of Joanna’s other friends and family. This really was a golden day in our friendship history; as I was following her up and down the aisle, I couldn’t believe it was actually happening as we had often played weddings when we were children! I am very lucky that Joanna’s husband Freddie has also become a very special family friend too. Joanna and I keep in contact
regularly via text, Skype and Facebook. Both friends are very good at sending letters and cards by post which are so exciting to
receive.
Facebook and other forms of online networking were developed at just the right time in my life and have enriched my friendships. I love to hear my text alert on my phone, I love getting messages and comments on Facebook, I love hearing Skype calls, I love letters in the post…I love my friends!! Most of all I am really thankful for all my special friends and cousins who do come and visit me and my family on a regular basis. Spending real time and sharing special times with friends, chatting, playing games and laughing is the richest form of support for me.
Lizzie Baily 2016
And keep the old,
One is silver
And the other’s gold.
This was a song we used to sing as a round when I was a Brownie. As the theme of this edition is Social Networking, I have been thinking about what this means.
Since I joined Facebook in 2007 I have been able to reconnect with lots of old friends around the country and other parts of the world. It’s brilliant to keep in touch with school friends and see photos of their lives now, and how some people haven’t changed a bit since
they were eight years old! I feel I know my school friends’ children and husbands even though we’ve never actually met!
I have made online friends with other people who have Congenital Muscular Dystrophy like me, as well as parents of children with
the condition. I find this really helpful as we share experiences. I love connecting with the parents as we always wanted to know other people with Muscular Dystrophy when I was younger, when it was almost impossible to find out about other families. There are various
groups on Facebook I have joined too, to keep up to date with developments and news in the disability world. I also love being part of groups where I can share thoughts on television programmes; I feel I know lots of people through the ‘Addicted to Neighbours’ group!!
When my older sister Alexandra died at the end of August last year, we were able to quickly let all our friends know in all parts of the world, in America, Germany and New Zealand to name a few, either by email or through Facebook. We were overwhelmed by the replies we received; many were from people we hadn’t seen for years but all sent wonderful memories of times they had spent with us. We were particularly touched by messages from two childhood friends, now living in Australia and Spain who we hadn’t seen for 20 years but they still remembered our childhood games. At this time we were also upheld by so many friends coming to visit us at home, helping with cooking, cleaning and keeping us cheerful.
As I find it difficult to physically go out and meet friends, being able to communicate with everyone via my computer and phone is
fantastic for me. One of my best friends Antje lives in Germany and we chat on Skype and email regularly but our best times are her
holidays here. In December 2014, my best childhood friend Joanna got married and I was asked to be one of her bridesmaids with Alexandra my sister, and several of Joanna’s other friends and family. This really was a golden day in our friendship history; as I was following her up and down the aisle, I couldn’t believe it was actually happening as we had often played weddings when we were children! I am very lucky that Joanna’s husband Freddie has also become a very special family friend too. Joanna and I keep in contact
regularly via text, Skype and Facebook. Both friends are very good at sending letters and cards by post which are so exciting to
receive.
Facebook and other forms of online networking were developed at just the right time in my life and have enriched my friendships. I love to hear my text alert on my phone, I love getting messages and comments on Facebook, I love hearing Skype calls, I love letters in the post…I love my friends!! Most of all I am really thankful for all my special friends and cousins who do come and visit me and my family on a regular basis. Spending real time and sharing special times with friends, chatting, playing games and laughing is the richest form of support for me.
Lizzie Baily 2016
