It’s funny how the most enduring bonds often start with a bit of irony

On her very last day of school, my mother found herself walking home alongside a classmate named Mary Porter

Though they had spent years in the same building, they were practically strangers, until that final walk

As they chatted, they shared a laugh over the hollow promises their peers were making

You know the ones: the tearful "we’ll be best friends forever" vows that usually evaporate by the end of summer

In a moment of playful defiance, they decided to strike their own deal. "Okay," they agreed, "we will be friends for life." 

They shook on it right there, and unlike so many others, they actually meant it

Life took Mary to a farm with her husband, Ted Vale

Their original homestead was eventually lost to progress when the town of Redditch was built through compulsory purchase, leading them to start over in Wales, to a little village called Llanwrda, near to Llandeilo

Their new farm sat in the shadow of the Black Mountains, though "farm" might have been a generous term at first

it was more of a "project." 

Reaching the farm house required navigating a grueling three-quarter-mile unmade track that tested any vehicle's suspension

For my brother and me, the long journey was a small price to pay

To a child in wellington boots, a rugged farm surrounded by cows is a kingdom

I still remember Ted bringing fresh milk straight from the cow to our breakfast table every morning (and yes, we survived the unpasteurized adventure)

Looking back on those early days, my mum recently told me that when we first visited, the place was so primitive that my dad spent the trip doing electrical work just so Mary and Ted could have functioning lights

It was a labour of love, helping to build the foundation of a place where that schoolgirl handshake could continue to grow

Friends for Life

What started as a cynical joke between two girls leaving school became a lifetime of shared history

From the vanishing fields of Redditch to the rugged slopes of the Black Mountains, they proved that while most childhood promises fade, a simple handshake and a lot of miles on a dirt track, can truly make you friends for life