We are the company we keep. Or are we?

Does it matter where our friends and acquaintances hail from. Just be glad that you have friends, can give and take help and enjoy friendships throughout your lifetime without having to analyse whether they are of the same ‘type’ as you.

My friends seem to be like yours Grannyact, from all walks of life, countries, ages and beliefs. One of my friends is from school days and her life and Beliefs are so differ t from mine but we remain the best of friends. I also think it keeps you young.

I have very different friends. Some are very definitely incompatible with each other, and yet I get on with them individually very well. I think it's good for you to be exposed to different personalities and views.

Yes mine were from the same background as me, just lost a old neighbour and good friend only 73 and other friends husband has died, she is not coping well won’t see anyone apart from family.
My work friends are retired now like me, so busy doing there retirement things. We keep in touch.

I have old school friends, friends from my teens and work friends all “collected” over the years, new and old. Most are fairly similar, but it’s also nice to have a couple of diverse characters to shake things up !!

Interesting question. Upon thinking about it, most of my friends are like me really. They are mainly local these days, and as we all live in Park Homes none of us are very well off.
But I still have one old friend from where I used to live and she is, and always has been, much better off than me.
I have very close friends in Germany whom I have visited many times. Their standard of living is higher than mine, but Germans don't seem to have the same views about class or money and are extremely friendly and welcoming.
Likewise my Australian friends who have a very casual and warmhearted approach to life.

The friend I have known the longest used to have some ideas and beliefs that I found completely repugnant, but I decided that as she had no other close friends at the time I would stick with it and I'm glad I did. It took many years of exposure to others' views about certain things, and a change in newspaper reading habits, before her own opinions shifted, but she no longer holds the views she did then. We just don't discuss Brexit!

When my ex SiL met one of my closest friends for the first time he said he would not have put her and I as friends. I never have understood why he thought that.
She and my other close friend are very similar to me in many ways.

All very different really, different jobs, education everything.My best friend is Hindu, other friends are Irish, Scottish, Welsh, South African as well as English.
Different religions, different politics etc but we have a marvellous time with all of them.

Very close friends are similar to me, but have friends from all walks of life with very different backgrounds & views.

I have friends from all walks of life. I suppose we are bound by common experiences along the way, or by work, families, other friends etc. I value them all. <thinks> I don't think I could put them all together in the same room - I am not sure they'd mingle well or like each other. And some I have to meet alone. I can think of one who irritates another of my friends, yet she doesn't irritate me. "Takes all sorts," as the saying goes.

My friends are largely like me from age and background. However, one of the two friends I see most of is a different age group and nationality/English as a second language. The differences don't stop us being on the same wavelength for lots of things, the only issue is that I'm retired and she's working so harder to meet up.