Long Lost Friends

My friend Lynn was contacted by an old high school friend. Someone remembering, nostalgically perhaps, perhaps about her youth, and wanted to connect. Some people never leave those youthful connections behind. They remain connected for years, from childhood to adulthood into imminent old age. I was struck by the coincident of both Lynn and I having long lost acquaintances reach out; Ray McLain to me and Lynn's friend who gave her a mouse on her sixteenth birthday.

Roger had a friend find him after years of disconnect. They discussed the fact that if they were five years younger they never would have lost touch in the first place due to Facebook, email, the Internet, social networking. I imagine staying put in one location helps like my friend Carol or brother Jerry.

What really got me wondering was the fact of reaching out. Ray said he got involved in reaching back through time by helping with the Northeast High School reunions. I guess that would get you thinking "I wonder what happened to so and so."

I'm fascinated by these childhood acquaintance's contacts. Are we at an age where reaching out for something, I don't know, lost maybe, is surfacing? Are people at a quieter time in their life and feeling something pull them backwards, something unfinished? I never went on the Internet to find old acquaintances, friends, lovers, long lost people.

Or are they just curious by nature. More curious than me. I don't feel the urge. I have no lost friends I'm searching for. As I passed through life it always felt done with, nothing left undone. Or maybe I brought it along with me on my back, like the proverbial turtle I claim to be. What is wrong with me that I don't feel a need or a desire. Did I flash though life too quick -- San Diego one day, New York the next. There is a dichotomie not answered; too quick or too slow.

I don't feel the urge but am enjoying the connections, old friends I do happen upon accidentally thrills me beyond belief. So what is the connection? Still wondering.

A final five-cent analysis; I don't think it is a deep mystery, but instead a personality type, genetic of course, some people do, some people don't. Some people jump off of cliffs, some people shuffle along on the sidewalk.

Speaking of shuffling, our families resident shuffler, a certain Mr Tal Bowman who shall remain nameless, has told me I can't die. That seemed unreasonable to me, and just a tad selfish. If his ticker can give out or explode at any moment well then so can mine.

Sometimes I would rather fail spectacularly than succeed incrementally. Dichotomies number two; too fast or too slow? All my greatest successes were when I slowed down and did it right. I'm not a risk taker, I don't put it all on one throw of the dice. I'm actually quite conservative in that area. I plan and ponder and make lists, but I will hit some kind of wall and say that's it I'm done. I can't guess what that makes me. 

Here is a dainty tidbit. Guess when Ian's next trip to Florida is? You guessed it, right in the middle of my Greenleaf trip. Guess who won't be here to give him a ride to and from the airport. Truly this is getting embarrassing. He swears he has it covered. He will take me to the airport and he has a ride home. Son's a special kind of love.

Here's to long lost friends.
Friends; love of another sort.