“Make new friends but keep the old

– one is silver the other gold.”



Friends, there’s something to be said for having friends. You know, those people who know you and still manage to not only love you but tolerate you as well.

When our youngest daughter was much, much younger she referred to most everyone as her friend. While she is a friendly and outgoing person, I would readily tell her that everyone was not her friend and that she would be quite fortunate and could consider herself blessed to live her life and at the end of her days have two friends.

Friends – you don’t have to live near them, do stuff with them or even see them on a regular basis.

They are those people that, come what may, regardless of distance, time and place they are there for you. There’s just something to be said for old friends.

One of the perks of working at the library is that you get to see a lot of people. They come in all shapes, sizes, colors and moods. Some are unforgettable.

There are those people that love a murder mystery. They wouldn’t dare read a love story or anything quite so frivolous. Each request is as varied as the person’s interest.

Every time I check out a western to someone, I think of one of our former patrons. He would place his card on the circulation desk and he’d smile and share how he had already read that book. Then he’d say it was like visiting an old friend.

Even though he knew the plot, storyline and knew exactly how the book would end, he would read them again and again. They became real to him again. As he said, it was like visiting an old friend.

There’s something comforting about visiting an old friend. You don’t have to weigh words, ponder thoughts or wonder how you are going to be received. You know there is a welcome waiting for you.

Our patron ran the race set before him and entered his final rest earlier this year. Thanks to him and his words of wisdom, I will never look at old friends and old books the same.

I would like to say a word of thanks to all of you that prayed for our good and “old” friend Jerry Atwood. You might know him as the “Mr. Goodwrench” at Wayne Thomas Chevrolet or maybe you have seen him singing at the Asheboro Fall Festival or in a church as one of the Harbor Light Singers.

They have been singing together for 34 years. They have sung in churches too numerous to mention, several states and have made several recordings to date. My husband is privileged to be a part of that group.

Jerry and Kaye are our dearest and best friends. Jerry has been quite ill and is now recovering at home. The words of encouragement and thoughtfulness shown to them and to us have been most appreciated. Mere words can’t convey what they have meant. Keep praying.

If you have friends old or new you have a treasure.



Simply Sandy is written by Sandy Jarrell and appears the first Wednesday of each month. Simply put, it’s Sandy waxing wordy once a month about life as she knows it. Jarrell is a native and life-long resident of Coleridge and a librarian at Ramseur Public Library. She can be reached by e-mail at wjarrell@rtmc.net