Breakfast meeting

Today I met an old friend for breakfast. I hadn't seen this friend for literally a lifetime. We used to be together all the time - almost 24/7 sometimes because we were in a couple of singing groups together and traveled together for a while. (I always say we went "on tour" and Mal laughs at me!) Over the past 28 years or so, our lives have gone separate ways. As we reminisced and talked about other old friends, I heard myself saying things like, "no - I meant to send her a Christmas card" or "gosh - what was his last name" and "she was in my wedding - no I don't know what she's doing now". It just made me think about all the tons of people whose lives have weaved in and out of mine over these past 51 years, all leaving distinct marks and memories on my heart and life that I have lost touch with. Where are they now? What's going on in their lives? I don't know for the most part. It made me laugh to remember old fun and funny times, yet sad to realize that I had let most of those relationships fall to the wayside. Of course, some of that is the course that life takes - we get married, we have jobs and children - new responsibilities take over and time becomes a huge factor. People move away, etc. But it really made me stop to think of those that I was very close to (or thought I was anyway) that I would like to re-kindle communication with. That's my new goal - to hunt down and find a few old friends and check in with them. Have people that are important in your life? Don't let them slip out of touch just because of the everyday hassles of life and time. Real friends are hard to find - hang on to the ones you have.