Old Friends

I often wonder what life would be like if we were able to stay in contact with everyone we met along the road of life. I actually love people. The stories, the backgrounds, their values and beliefs. We are all so different, yet very much alike. No matter where you are from, there are deep-rooted characteristics that make us all similar.

I digress. What happened to the girl (or boy) that you first kissed? Where do you think they are today and what do you think they are doing? How about the people you met in grade school or the friends you met in junior high that signed your year book? Wouldn't it be amazing to not have lost contact with them? I've heard it said before..."I don't have room in my life for any more friends" and really don't understand what that means. A friendship is the best relationship one can have with another human being (outside of marrying your best friend, if you are lucky enough to have done so).

Cultivating a friendship takes work, but if it's built on a solid foundation, it can be neglected, taken for granted, down right ignored, yet remain as strong as ever. It's a great bond. We live in the information age and the world has become a much smaller place. Social networking sites allow us to find old friends and catch up on years past. I find this amazing and exciting. My high school reunion was this past summer and it was a complete thrill to see everyone again. More exciting than that was catching up with everyone prior to seeing their ugly mugs. Gotta love Classmates, Facebook, et al.

Of the friends that I have been able to keep in touch with over the years, I consider all of them family. If you are lucky enough to have lived most of your life with a friend by your side, you know that there is nothing comparable to it. Someone that knows more about you than you know yourself. Someone that helps make you a better human being and is there no matter what. I have a few friends like that...friends that have been in my life for what seems forever. Damn, that's a special thing to be able to say!. It's even better when you can say that you have more than one person in your life that has been by your side for longer than you can remember.

Imagine what it would be like if everyone you met along the road of life was a friend...