'She can still make me cry with laughter, just like the old days' – two childhood friends share how they reconnected after 20 years

We know all too well how busy life can be, and how difficult it can become to see and keep in touch with friends as often as we'd like – even those who live nearby. So we shouldn't beat ourselves up when we inevitably lose touch with some friends along the way, even if we do miss them.

The good news is that, a little like rekindling an old summer romance, reconnecting with old friends can – in some cases – feel like picking up where we left off. So it was with Katy Tibbles, 44, a school head of careers, who had lost touch with her childhood friend, Sarah Thompson, 43, until three years ago.

Katy shares their story, "It was during our RE and Philosophy lessons when we were 16, discussing our beliefs, values and attitudes, that Sarah and I realised we were both on the same wavelength at school. We both wanted to do well academically but also let our hair down now and then, so we soon started hanging out after school.

"We could read each other like a book – just a quick glance and we’d know what the other was thinking. Our shared outlook and friendship helped us through the ups and downs of those late-teen years."

Losing touch

"In 1999, Sarah went off to university in Oxford. Uni wasn’t for me, so I got a job as a marketing executive in Kent, where I met my husband, James, and went on to have our daughter Eliza in 2011.

"Sarah and I still met up in her holidays, but the demands of work and families started taking over, and we eventually lost touch in our 20s."

Finding each other after 20 years

"In 2022, a colleague told me a fellow ex-Folkestone School for Girls pupil was moving to Kent and joining the school trust, where I worked. Initially, I didn’t recognise Sarah’s married name, but as soon as I realised who it was, I messaged her on Facebook. I was incredibly excited.

"We met up for the first time in 20 years at a park, and it was like we’d never been apart. She hadn’t changed at all.

"We gave each other a big hug. ‘So, what have you been up to for the last 20 years?’ I asked. We couldn’t stop talking.

"Eliza, by then aged 10, also got on well with Sarah’s son Ollie, then nine, and daughter Daisy, seven."

"We’re slowly filling in the gaps of the last 20 years. We do reminisce about the past but are also loving making new memories together. Whether it’s a girls’ night out or getting together with our families, it has been brilliant to rekindle our friendship.

"Sarah can still make me cry with laughter, just like the old days."

A happy reunion for both

Sarah says: "Rediscovering my friendship with Katy has been a lovely surprise. When we’re together, we revert to our 18-year-old selves, not the responsible, middle-aged working women we often have to be!

"Katy knows the real me – I never worry about my house being a mess if she pops over.

"It’s lovely to know if I was ever in need of support, a listening ear or just a good laugh, Katy is there for me."