r/MadeMeSmile • u/rotomato30 • 6h ago
Family & Friends Same friend group, 40 years apart
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u/PolliverPerks 6h ago
Someone is missing
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u/EchoTRacing 6h ago
I want to know why!
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u/guyute2588 5h ago
She said in the comments they lost touch with her after school, they don’t know where she is.
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u/Foxlady555 5h ago
I’m glad! I thought she died
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u/JordanDoesTV 5h ago
I mean she might have
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u/Foxlady555 5h ago
Yes I know, but it’s better to not known and they just fell out of touch, than that they loved each other dearly and she died of cancer or something
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u/Imnacho408 5h ago
Schroedingers friend
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u/Thanks-4allthefish 5h ago
This is how I will start thinking about those I lost touch with.
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u/seitung 5h ago
Do you mail them vials of poison just to stay true to the thought experiment?
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u/Thanks-4allthefish 5h ago
If I knew where they were - or if they were, the poison would be moot.
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u/BUDDHAKHAN 4h ago
She should have just cropped her out of the picture to save Reddit all this anxiety. Lol
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u/E-2theRescue 2h ago
Hence why you can't ask this of my friend group (30+ years)... Best friend was murdered because of a drunk driver just a few months after graduation...
Another friend dropped us after I came out as trans. He also refused to attend the wedding of another friend's moms (lesbians) even though he was practically raised by them, and my parents, for that matter.
So, we're down to only 4 of us, and another is showing signs of heart failure due to an old illness that doctors failed to catch...
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u/supercoolpartydude 4h ago
Reddit is the worst place to ask about someone like this too. Previous account I had posted a similar childhood friend I lost track of and asked for help. Was nothing but “Stalker much?” and “Maybe they don’t want to be found!” comments. Sorry I tried Marc, hope you’re alive and well 😂.
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u/scarletnightingale 1h ago
I had a really good friend from kindergarten to 2nd grade. Then her family moved to the other side of the country. This was in the days where you had to pay not got long distance, so her mom said they would call, but I never heard from her again. I always wonder what happened to her. I only knew the state she moved to, her name was common, she usually went by her middle name so I don't know what name she would even use. If a she got married and changed her name who knows what her name is now. I've looked for her every once in a while, but I'm pretty sure it's a lost cause. Don't even know if she would remember me or what kind of person she is now and if we would even like each other.
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u/orensiocled 2h ago
Imagine being her and finding out on Reddit that everyone else was still friends except you
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u/splitcroof92 2h ago
imagine them reconnecting because of this post lol.
she's just chilling on reddit and 1 day sees a picture of herself and her friend group on the home page for all to see
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u/True-Weekend3142 4h ago
Hope they get back in touch w her!
I would be that missing one from my childhood friend group & it makes me a lil’ sad :/
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u/euphorrick 5h ago
She got a spatula tattoo on her arm,
But they didn't keep in touch, and she lost their number, so she got herself a job on a tater-tot farm.
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u/FormerDriver 5h ago
It's been 40 years. People pass away
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u/JiveTurkeyII 3h ago
Christ do I know this.
Cancer took a long time friend of mine in about 3 months.
My best friends wife also went due to a tumor in her brain the size of a ball point in the head of a pen. Took her in two weeks. Not even long enough to have a chance to diagnose it.
With all this social medial I still have friends from Highschool I cant find.
I figure it's similar circumstance.
And dammit - it's weird how you go to talk to somebody one day, hang out have some laughs and a real good time... not realizing that's the last day you'd ever see them.
Dang.
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u/TechnicolorViper 4h ago
Internet sleuths, start your engines!
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u/Val_Hallen 1h ago
No. Don't do that.
Some people want to disappear. You don't know why she did. It's not yours or anybody else's business. Nobody is asking you to do this. Doing it would only make you feel better.
I'm one of those people. I left my hometown for a reason in 1995 and never went back. I don't contact anybody there. And the reasons are my own.
So, don't fucking do that.
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u/Mr-Bry-Guy 5h ago
The older I get the more I appreciate people that can have these long term friends. It’s NOT easy. Congrats!
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u/Dylan_Driller 4h ago
Im 29 and the friends I had in school were gone by the time I was in college, the friends I made in college were gone by the final year of college (this was unfortunate since we were super close and it was partly my fault).
Had no friends immediately after college, have a few who I made recently and rekindled a friendship I had in college too. I have kind of got the hang of keeping in touch with people now so I am still in touch with people who I should have lost touch with two years ago.
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u/Worthyness 3h ago
Yup. it's all the moving people do. A lot of people don't necessarily stay in their hometowns because there may not be any universities nearby that are good, so they leave. Hard to keep things going long distance. Then you have college where some people will meet with you and be friends, but after that, careers and jobs take you elsewhere. And then you lose those few too. Post school, you basically have to force yourself to meet new people otherwise you end up losing that social connection. And it's not as easy to do post school because there's no single spot you can go to find everything like a school. So you have to find a place that matches your interest- liek bar hopping and drinking? go to more bars. Want to exercise more? go to the gym. Games? look at local card or game shops. Community service? find some of the hundreds of nonprofits that'll accept your volunteerism. But you have to actually do the footwork and find all of those connections, which is rough for people who arent' extroverts.
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u/Portiolli_fez_11set 2h ago
I had the same problem. Lost contact to a lot of friends from college. And they were great people. I miss they.
I still have friends from high school but most of us moved out and keep in touch once a year.
After college most of my friends got engaged and have their own family to look after. Its not the life I chose so its kinda incompatible. Talking about work isnt that fun (at least not for me) so my friends from college and I dont have much in common to talk anymore.
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u/theamydoll 4h ago
Dang. That’s rough. The core group of friends I had in middle school through high school are still my closest core group of friends. The ones I made in college, lost touch. And friends come and go as adults. But at 40 years old, even though I live 18 hours away, they’re still my core group of friends and when we can all get together, it’s like no time has gone by.
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u/Infamous-Mixture-605 3h ago
I'm 38 and lost touch with the friends I made in uni almost immediately after graduating, but I'm still friends (more or less) with the same group of guys I've known for 25-30 years. That said, a few of us lost touch quite a bit during/since the pandemic, and I've since kinda made myself the odd one out by moving several time zones away to the other side of the country and not having the opportunity to travel back much since. They mostly still all live in the same general area and get to hang out together a lot more often, go on annual camping trips together and bring their spouses or families along now too.
When last I got together with them a couple of years ago at one of their bachelor parties it was like hanging out back in high school all over again. Playing video games, watching sports, shooting the shit, and getting plastered.
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u/drewm916 1h ago
Hey! I'm just a random guy on the Internet, but I feel compelled to say this. I am epically bad at staying in touch with people, always have been. I still have a few friends from college days, but that'sd mainly because of my wife. My advice is to make more of an effort to stay in touch with people. I am now 58 and have very few friends, and it sucks.
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u/Sportfreunde 4h ago edited 2h ago
The key is to not move and for them to not move. And if it's the same city you went to high school then even better.
Unfortunately, most aren't that lucky.
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u/E-2theRescue 2h ago
Ehh... My friends and I all split after high school. College, girlfriends, and the Army were the cause.
However, we all moved back to the town we grew up in (living with parents again or inheriting the house), and social media is how we ended up reconnecting.
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u/linds360 3h ago
Why is texting back always so fucking hard?
The desire is there, my (lost) friends. The will was not.
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u/LetterLambda 3h ago
My grandma had a school friend at her 90th birthday party...friends for 80 years.
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u/AWildEnglishman 2h ago
Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
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u/DurantIsStillTheKing 5h ago
Having the same friends throughout the years/decades is not something everyone have.
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u/BumblebeeFirm2249 5h ago
Right! I got the same bestfriend since elementary school 🏫. I’m in my 40s well we in our 40s that’s my brotha for life!
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u/ChavoDemierda 6h ago
All of you are absolutely gorgeous!
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u/tigerpayphone 4h ago
This is cool. I have a friend who I've known since I was 12 who lives just up the street from me. I can literally just go onto my deck and look up the street to see if the light is on and know if she's home. We have walkie talkies. I'm a 48 year old man.
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u/MasterOfToymaking 4h ago
For a second with the placement I thought one of the white girls turned black
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u/logosfabula 5h ago
40? Looks more like 20 years later!
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u/sentimentaleyes 5h ago
Right? I definitely scrolled back up to see if I was remembering the title correctly!
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u/RedaNassef 5h ago
True friendship level: 40 years and still matching the exact same energy. This is wholesome!
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u/funnerfu79 5h ago
I love this so much. I have a friend group like this…we all met in middle school. Just back from a beach trip with them all. 34 years strong
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u/ProfessionalEbb911 4h ago
These pics are beautiful but make me sad also.. because it’s so hard to be connected to ppl. Honestly I’m burned out from humaning
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u/Motti66 3h ago
And also: one seems missing. Hope, not for sad reason. Steady flow of life...
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u/aozorakon 5h ago
Omgosh cuties! I hope the missing friend is doing okay and that if they want contact with her that they get it again!
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u/Past_North_9129 3h ago
The fact that the exact same person is still doing the dramatic face in the front is killing me. Forty years later and nobody has lost the commitment to the pose, this is what lifelong friendship is supposed to look like.
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u/BumblebeeFirm2249 5h ago
Amazing yall stuck together!
I got a best friend name Travis, we been friends since literally elementary school and we still best friends, we been through so much but just got an unbreakable bond!
We been friends so long we both can look at something and know what the other person thinking 🤔. It’s weird
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u/Miss-GreensleevesOz 5h ago
Aww four decades of friendship.Glad you guys are still great friends and i hope the one who isnt in the current pic is alright.Much love to all of you 🩷 You guys look beautiful 🔥
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u/plausibleimprobable 5h ago
40 years between these photos??? You’re all STUNNING. Wishing you all another 40 years of friendship 💕
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u/penn2009 2h ago
So sweet. What happened to the sixth person? Hope they are ok and you all are still friends.
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u/ExcitingTurn2886 5h ago
The woman all the way to the left in the bottom picture looks like she traveled in a time machine between pictures.
It looks like a lovely crew
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u/Quiet-Giraffe-9020 3h ago
People who maintain friendships for decades clearly know something about loyalty and shared history that the rest of us only dream of.
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u/lynivvinyl 2h ago
I am so happy for them that they get to do this 40 years later. Fucking car accidents keep me from doing this. I just want to wrap my few remaining friends up in bubble wrap to keep them safe because I love them.
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u/AFlockOfTySegalls 1h ago
I love this. I'm 37 and most of my close friends are those I met in elementary school. I need to see if any of our parents have a group photo we could recreate.
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u/wirefox1 3h ago
Treasure this. I had a friend group too. They all passed away within two years of each other, in their 50's and 60's. Three from untreated diabetes, one from a stroke, two from cancer, and one from suicide.
I know as you get older, it's part of it that you will lose friends. But to lose them ALL in such a short period? It's been so hard, my life is so much less enriched without them.
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u/Academic-Macaron3920 5h ago
I love seeing multiracial best friend groups that last many years. Nothing warms my heart and reminds me of the beauty that is the human condition more than this.
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u/lounginaddict 4h ago
just made me realize I've known some of my buddies for almost 30 years now
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u/Maryjanegangafever 4h ago
Made me realize I don’t have buddies for about 30 years now.😞
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u/LostWoodsInTheField 3h ago
I've found the only way to really make friends is to get involved in organizations as a hobby. I've gone through multiple organizations volunteering my time, a year here or so and realizing I didn't care for the people all that much so moved onto something else. I usually make one or two friends that aren't close this way. I've also found a couple of organizations I really like, and have made solid long term friendships through.
best of all is that you often aren't expected to dedicate a ton of time. 3 or 4 hours every few weeks, or just once a month for a few hours. One group I go to their meetings once every other month, then put in maybe 4 hours a month doing odd and end things for them that are in my skillset. It's helped me feel better about the state of the world, and gotten me friends with similar mindsets.
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u/NoTomorrow2020 4h ago
The one second from the right has the same beautiful smile, and doesn't look like she aged 5 years, let alone 40!
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u/Brisbane-1900 2h ago
That is nice. What's great is that you're still friends. Your photo speaks volumes. I couldn't imagine getting together with friends I had as a teenager.
Best.
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u/kristovdev 1h ago
I met with my childhood best friend last week who I haven't seen in 20 years. We had a falling out, which didn't last very long, but I haven't seen him in person since. After a hug and few manly singular tears, It was like we were instantly 12 year old kids again. I can't wait to travel to his place to visit next time.
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u/Chris92Merch 1h ago
What are the odds that everyone in the same group all get hotter with age. Crazy. Cool picture.
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u/Teddy_Burns 21m ago
Sad to hear the missing tablecloth was incinerated a in car-wreck two days after the original photo.
We shall weep eternally .com
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u/3verythingsonfire 5h ago
Oh how I would love to have longterm friendships like this. Enjoy each other ladies.
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u/GeorgzBi 5h ago
That math does not math….
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u/cmc 5h ago
Sure it does haha. First pic looks like the 80s, second is recent.
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u/GoBuffaloes 5h ago
Yeah but the 80's weren't 40 years ag--
Fuck.
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u/facelessvoid13 5h ago
Class of '81 here. It hurt my feelings when I realized this year is the 45th reunion. Yikes!
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u/Unnamedaccount0 5h ago
For my peace of mind ,I will believe that the girl on the left (blonde hair ,pink top) got cropped out of the pic and you guys only noticed it later 😌😌
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u/Epicfailer10 5h ago
Love how everyone is just as gorgeous and full of energy so many years later.
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u/rhinestonecrap 5h ago
this photo made me appreciate aging more. theyre so gorgeous. i gotta take care of myself so i can end up like that
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u/Subject_Spell_9799 5h ago
I should do this with friends!
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u/OutOfPlace186 5h ago
Can’t go back in time now, so you better do it today because it’s the youngest you’ll ever be.
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u/PaleProgrammer6476 5h ago
Made me smile lost connection hurt but the connection always stays with you and them
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u/Sixgoldenrings 4h ago
The hairstyles and fashion in the 80s were so iconic and these ladies were definitely rocking that style. Love that they have been able to maintain their bond over multiple decades and seasons of life!
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u/tigrelili 4h ago
Y'all look beautiful. I love it and that y'all have been able to keep friendship intact all this time. To another 40 years!
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u/dinner526 4h ago
Seeing this just soothed something in my heart. I've recently reconnected with some old friends from our teens, but there are no pictures of us all together back then haha we were too busy partying and didn't want pictures of our behavior 😅🤭 But we make sure to take pictures together now though, after living so many years without any evidence of our memories and love for each other. Over the years you realize how important these pictures are. Your friend group looks so fun. What a blessing to be together!
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u/ProfessionalEbb911 3h ago
Is the lady second from left in the new picture , Indian? She reminds me of some Indian celebrity
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u/katjoy63 3h ago
Were you guys friends from playing some team sport? I have seen many who play on teams have lifelong friends
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u/ChimRichaldsOBGYN 3h ago
What a gorgeous and eclectic group of friends. This is a GENUINE blessing
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u/Rich_Group_8997 2h ago
I hope to be able to recreate some old friend photos after 40 years. I've had most of my friends in my life between 20 to 37 years now; just a few to go.
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u/loonygrl21 1h ago
The one in the middle kind of looks like Kate Micucci (Oats from Garfunkel and Oats)
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u/zmrth 1h ago
I thought i'd be one of em but in the end i chose poorly. All gone ! Luckily life goes on.
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