Saturday afternoon we had a bittersweet reunion with a friend that I've known since Kindergarten. His sweet mom died, and as we met up at the funeral home a wave of memories washed over me. A quick flash memory of her helping her son and I get ready for our parts in a school play. I was Mary and he was my little lamb. She had helped me curl my hair in those long curls, and she took several pictures of us. She was quick to hug and if you were ever in her home, she had to feed ya something. Fast forward to highschool, she was there at graduation, smiling and taking pictures again. When Sweetie and I got married, there she was with camera in hand, and a special crystal frame for our wedding photo. Since then, the last time I saw her was when her husband died, and then it was so brief. She has since sold her home here, and moved in with one of her sons, our friend down in Florida, so it had been 6 years since we saw one another.
Walking inside the doors, memories of the past funerals I had attended here, washed a huge wave of sadness over me. Sweetie kept it together better than I did, he too having his own memories of our mutual friend and his family. Sweetie knew her as a teenager, as both my friend and Sweetie studied for their EMT certifications at his house, and were firefighters together.
After signing in, and greeting other family members we looked for our friend. After several minutes when he came out from a back room, we noticed that he had changed too. I mean we all recognized each other, gave one another grief about the few grey hairs we were now sporting, and then started to chat lightly about how peaceful his mom looked. Getting past the casket we then just stood with our friend and reminiced over how we have been in and out of each others lives ever since we can remember. We laughed, and shook our heads over how each of us has a child that will start highschool next year. Where did the time go? With us living now in different states, we don't get to see each other as often as before, but it is amazing at how easily we reconnect.
Time changes things. It seems we are either learning how to start something, or just starting to get the hang of this particular season, and boom! Another one starts up. Time moves on dragging us with it. We have the same smiles, same sparkle in our eyes, and yet we are different people. That a challenging ride it has been so far..so thankful for friends along the way to support us and in turn for us to help through the difficult times, and to celebrate the blessings with!
Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Friendship Bridges Built Across Time
People come and go in our lives. Okay, I hear ya. Yes, that's obvious. My point is, how some folks you just connect with, where others you don't. However, each person has an impact on our lives.
The experiences I had with each one, some formed my opinions and ways I interact with people today. Is it the same with you? Think back to your first friend. Was it a neighbor someone you played with after school each day? Or perhaps a classmate that saved a seat for you at the lunch table. Was it a bully, or a well intentioned classmate that hurt you? Each one had a purpose and was in my life for a reason, as I was in theirs for a reason. Just as you were for someone else.
Some of these people I just knew would always be in my life, but they aren't anymore. Thanks to social networks like facebook, and myspace several of these broken ties are connected once more. Time and circumstances have changed us, but our friendship is still there. We are living life, but still connected to past moments in time. This year Sweetie and I are making plans to attend our 20 year highschool reunion. Man, its something to say that but to type it just makes it more real. 20 years! When did that happen?
Somehow our generation was determined, as I'm sure that others before us felt, that would live our lives differently and change the world. The world has changed. I'm sure there are tangible connections and impacts our class has made for the better to improve our lives and that of mankind. We all hope to leave the world a better place than we found it. How many of your dreams and goals did you accomplish? Embrace the victories, try hard to let go of the disappointments.
Moves from state to state, death, divorces, marriages, children, life.. it happens. We spend our lives attached to duties, jobs, commitments. Schedules define our time. We move from event to event until we look up and our children are grown, we are living our parents lives, or some variation of it. Suddenly, it's been 15 years, or 20,30, 40. Where did the time go?
Spending time with some new friends last night, we talked about how much we have each changed over the years. Things that were so important to us at one time have faded and we have moved on to others. Our priorities are as varied as we are. Time moves on, things change. New people come into our lives through work, church, school, community.
We have friends in our lives that are older,same age, and younger. The older ones,
have much to share with us, if we will just listen. Experience, and example is what gift they bring to the table. Same age group? They give us the gift of understanding, we all grew up listening to the same groups, have the same memories, share the same struggles. The younger group? They keep things fresh. Yes, we are constantly reminded of how old we are by them, but the ideas and energy they bring to the friendship is just refreshing!
If possible, take time to be "old school" and write a note to your friends. What a wonderful suprise to get a greeting from a friend instead of advertisments and junk mail! If they are close by, set up a lunch date. The gift of friendship given to each other is priceless! Don't waste it! Reconnect on a more personal level. You will be better for it, and so will they!
The experiences I had with each one, some formed my opinions and ways I interact with people today. Is it the same with you? Think back to your first friend. Was it a neighbor someone you played with after school each day? Or perhaps a classmate that saved a seat for you at the lunch table. Was it a bully, or a well intentioned classmate that hurt you? Each one had a purpose and was in my life for a reason, as I was in theirs for a reason. Just as you were for someone else.
Some of these people I just knew would always be in my life, but they aren't anymore. Thanks to social networks like facebook, and myspace several of these broken ties are connected once more. Time and circumstances have changed us, but our friendship is still there. We are living life, but still connected to past moments in time. This year Sweetie and I are making plans to attend our 20 year highschool reunion. Man, its something to say that but to type it just makes it more real. 20 years! When did that happen?
Somehow our generation was determined, as I'm sure that others before us felt, that would live our lives differently and change the world. The world has changed. I'm sure there are tangible connections and impacts our class has made for the better to improve our lives and that of mankind. We all hope to leave the world a better place than we found it. How many of your dreams and goals did you accomplish? Embrace the victories, try hard to let go of the disappointments.
Moves from state to state, death, divorces, marriages, children, life.. it happens. We spend our lives attached to duties, jobs, commitments. Schedules define our time. We move from event to event until we look up and our children are grown, we are living our parents lives, or some variation of it. Suddenly, it's been 15 years, or 20,30, 40. Where did the time go?
Spending time with some new friends last night, we talked about how much we have each changed over the years. Things that were so important to us at one time have faded and we have moved on to others. Our priorities are as varied as we are. Time moves on, things change. New people come into our lives through work, church, school, community.
We have friends in our lives that are older,same age, and younger. The older ones,
have much to share with us, if we will just listen. Experience, and example is what gift they bring to the table. Same age group? They give us the gift of understanding, we all grew up listening to the same groups, have the same memories, share the same struggles. The younger group? They keep things fresh. Yes, we are constantly reminded of how old we are by them, but the ideas and energy they bring to the friendship is just refreshing!
If possible, take time to be "old school" and write a note to your friends. What a wonderful suprise to get a greeting from a friend instead of advertisments and junk mail! If they are close by, set up a lunch date. The gift of friendship given to each other is priceless! Don't waste it! Reconnect on a more personal level. You will be better for it, and so will they!
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