I am not saying that we should always look to the past for advice on today. As someone who studies History, I can tell you that looking to History is sometimes a bad idea. What we can count on is honesty when it comes from old friends because sometimes old friends were there during our biggest mess ups. They can offer a fresh perspective on something occurring to us today that you may be handled back then and don't remember. I know this can't be true for all old friends, but we all have that friend that we can look to for advice and honesty. It can be either a family member or a nonblood family member.
Imagine having one of your oldest friends with you when sh** hits the fan. Sometimes they can offer you a unique perspective of what you are going through. When I came out of the closet, my oldest friend was with me to offer nonemotional advice. I went through a period of hades when I came out of the closet and this friend allowed me to see things through a outsiders perspective. I was discovering myself and I had one of my oldest friends to help me sort out my emotions. I'll forever be thankful for her advice that got me through the 3 months of darkness that followed my big announcement to the world.
They say that when you experience your darkness moment, your true friends arise from the ashes. I have my oldest best friend and my two best friends to thank for helping me overcome one of the darkest times of my life. They were there to offer advice and they jumped to my rescue if I needed it. Even though my two best friends did not know me in my younger years, my oldest best friend was still there to drag me down from my high horse of emotion to become grounded.
Old friends are the family members that you chose and are not by blood. They know things about you that no one else knows and know your strengths and weaknesses. They can be a pain in your butt and also be your biggest supporter. They are the types of people that can walk into your house and no one will question why they are there. They know your blood family's problems and do not care about them. They'll make time for you when they can. If you haven't seen them in a long time, you know that when you get together that nothing has changed.
One should never discount new friends and how they bring a freshness to your life. New friends are the ones who don't know your flaws or your weaknesses yet, so there are no biases yet. Old friends are those who have sat with you on your darkest moment and have the power to take you down from your high horse. It is a blessing to have a friend that has been with you during the cycle of your life. That is not as common as it used to be.
