Friendship Renewed

Hello Cindy…

The e-mail came by way of my website.

…I’m a librarian at XYZ school and I would like to put your books in my library. I remember you telling me that you wanted to be a writer many years ago in high school… Congratulations! I’m proud of you.

My breath caught.

The sender’s name was oh so familiar.

It was like one of those surreal kind of moments you watch unfold on television—like one of those old, beloved greeting card commercials where two friends dramatically reunite after so many long years apart. Except it wasn’t happening on T.V. This was real life. And real friendship.

And I was awestruck. Truly.

*Beth found me!

The high school friend I’d thought about and yearned for over the past 20+ years had e-mailed me! (We last saw each other at a previous reunion.)

I re-read the e-mail, absorbing my friend’s sweet words.

I’m a librarian…

…would like to put your books in my library.

…I’m proud of you.

Proud? Of me?

Of course, I cried. It was a two tissue kind-of-moment.

Meanwhile, I thought… Beth, I’m proud of you! You’re a librarian! (And before that, Beth was a teacher.)

Our mutual love for writing, teaching, and books had obviously carried into adulthood.

So much time had passed, but yet, in some respects it had stood still, too.

Memories played in my head of two goofy teens—one tall, brunette, and a little on the skinny side. The other—petite, blond, and lovely. Both liked to laugh and have fun.

Back then we were all about hair, clothes, grades, and sometimes… boys. (Not necessarily in that order, I’m sure.)

I e-mailed *Beth and thanked her for her kind missive and told her how delighted I was to hear from her.

I also said something like, “I’m still on the path to publication, but one day I hope to share some news…”

I’d love to have my books line Beth’s library shelves.

We played e-mail tag for a while, texted, and eventually spoke by phone.

How wonderful it was to hear Beth’s voice!

The best part? We fell into the same comfortable rhythm we’d shared in high school.

There were no pretenses. No awkwardness. No putting on airs. We picked up exactly where we’d left off decades earlier.

We talked for about two hours and caught up on each other’s lives, as well as former classmates’ life events and whereabouts.

Some tidbits I gleaned were sad, while other memories brought a smile or two. I recalled one incident in particular…

“Remember when we misappropriated some real estate signs one day?”

“Yeah.” Beth laughed. (I pictured her nodding.) “I do kind of remember that.”

Another friend drove a little Volkswagen at the time and we relocated a few of those signs around town, poking them in yards of homes that were–of course–not for sale.

We didn’t egg cars, destroy mail boxes, or do anything destructive. (And I never TP’d yards, trees, or cars.)  Unlike today, mischief-making when I was a teen didn’t include vengeful deeds. Well, at least our little group wasn’t into such things.)

Now, we weren’t perfect. Our idea of “fun” was just more silly than harmful.

Beth and I relived the good, ol’ days a long while, but eventually, we both had to go. (There was a pesky thing called “supper” that just wouldn’t wait.)

We decided we should catch up in person so we’re planning to meet at the end of this month. I’m so tickled!

I’ll let you know how it goes. 🙂

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Have you ever had the opportunity to reconnect with a long, lost friend?

What’s the length of your longest-lasting friendship?

If you write, do you weave cherished friends and confidantes into your stories?

*For privacy considerations, not my friend’s real name.

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Blessings Always,