Lifelong Friends Create a Haven Where They Can Grow Old Together
Have you ever dreamed of retiring and growing old while living in the same home as your best girlfriends? A group of girlfriends in China has joined forces to buy and restore a home where they will fulfill their dream of retiring and spending their golden years together.
A place to grow old together
According to the New York Post, when the women’s conversations turned to what they planned to do in retirement, they found that what they really wanted was to live together. The women, who have been friends for more than twenty years, started to search and found a property that was in a poor state and had been abandoned. The villa in the Guangzhou countryside had a lot of potential and the women were determined to go forward.
Joining forces to create their dream home
Work began to convert the mansion into a cozy and pleasant home, News 24 reported, with each member putting money toward the purchase and remodeling. Modern comforts were added and the building’s original characteristics were restored thanks to the talents of neighborhood artisans and craftsmen.
The end result is a gorgeous home where the women have individual living spaces but also includes a rooftop garden, a common library, a cinema room, a music studio and communal areas.
Re-thinking the later years
Their story went viral and many comments were made on social media by women who were inspired by the idea and tagged close friends that they said they would love to grow old with. It also got people thinking about new ways to approach aging and retirement. The women plan to offer use of the home as a place where the community can gather to hold events and activities for other local senior citizens.
“We’ll probably cook together, barbecue in the fields, sing and collect food in the village,” the friends say in the video that was posted on Bored Panda. “We joke that each of us should practice one skill so that we won’t be lonely and fight with each other ten years later… Some can cook beautiful food, some know traditional Chinese medicine, some play instruments, and some grow vegetables.”
These dear friends are providing inspiration to many as they age together and demonstrate that it is never too late to build the life you desire with the people dearest to you. Their house is much more than simply a place to live out their older years; it is a symbol of strength, teamwork and love.
