Old Friends

Yesterday, Rachael and I went to check out a new Chinese restaurant for lunch. Well, it's actually a branch of one of our favorite Chinese restaurants, but still a new branch. We tried to go last week, but there was a fire and we ended up having to leave. While we were sitting in the food court eating, I heard someone call my name. I looked up, and it was this kid Matt, who I used to baby sit, and his mom. I was so surprised to see Matt! I hadn't seen him in a couple of years, and the last time I saw him, he looked like a little boy. Now, he's definitely in the pre-teen years. He's wearing cool clothes; he obviously chose his own hairstyle. We chatted for a few minutes, just long enough for Matt to tell me about school and snow days. It was nice to run in to them! I always wonder what happens to people once they leave my life, but sometimes it's hard to find out.

I recently summoned up enough courage to mail a letter to someone I used to know in college, who I hadn't talked to in about 6 or 7 years. I'd wondered what had happened to him off and on for those years, and finally I decided to look him up in the school's alumni directory. He only gave a mailing address, so I wrote an actual letter. The second I put it in the blue mailbox I thought I had done the wrong thing, but since tampering with the mail is a federal offense, there was nothing I could do about it. About a month later, he emailed me. I was pleased to hear from him and to find out he's doing well. And pleased to discover that he didn't think my mailing the letter was insane, because I was afraid it was.

I've also got some friends who I have known since I was born. 3 sets of siblings. I keep in closer contact with some than with others, but I know they'll all always be in my life in some form or another. When I went to visit Hannon in Korea, he introduced me to everyone as his cousin. That was a nice feeling, like we're actually family.