Here Say is a project in community storytelling. We travel to a new place each week and ask people to share true stories about things we all experience: love, family, learning and more. To see where we've been, check out our interactive map.
Rick Baker told us that he recently reconnected with a childhood friend, and found that even though they're no longer trading comic books, they still have a lot in common.
"I just had my 30th class reunion here and I got to catch up with one of my friends that I had since I was in fifth grade. He and I remembered trading comic books back and forth, and hiding out in each other’s houses, and that kind of thing. So it was really nice to meet him again after, I hadn’t seen him since our last reunion, ten years ago. His wife was there and his wife is kind of like my wife - same age, same kind of background - so it was fun how things kind of cycled back around for us as friends. Now we’ve got plans to meet up again and make it happen more often."
Michael Novak told us that past difficult experiences make it hard for him to trust enough to form new friendships.
"Someone who’s a friend to me would be someone I’d be really comfortable to talk to and you know kind of reveal my heart and being able to be vulnerable in front of somebody and then laugh with them. That’s what I’d call a friend, and that’s hard. Having gone through that experience in college with those people, I have a lot of trust issues with people... so it’s hard for me to be vulnerable."
Amy Chenault is moving and thinking about losing time with her longtime friend and roommate.
"I’ve had the same roommate for six years, no eight years almost I guess, and I’m moving away. So it’s been really weird to think about not having that friend with me. We were roommates all through college, and now that we are out of college, and kind of halfway adults, it’s kind of weird to think that all of those things that we do together… we won’t be able to do together anymore. It’s one of those things I think where she understands everything that I’ve been through, and I know everything she’s been through so we don’t have to explain. So, when I’ve had a bad day or she’s had a bad day it’s pretty easy with her."
Jon Wilcox says that having children change priorities and leaves less time for friends, but there are relationships that weather those changes.
"As you get kind of older, with kids and all of that, the friends you used to have when you were younger… everyone kind of goes their separate ways. As an adult that’s something that I miss a little bit, but kids take the place of that and that’s just kind of the way it works out. Another good thing about good friendships that you have is that they kind of go through the same things with having their kids and their family, and even though you may go six months without talking to one of them, when you do get back together with them it's like no time has passed at all. So maybe that’s part of what makes a really good friendship. It doesn’t matter how much time goes by, that connection is always there."
For more stories about family, check out our interactive map here.