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Sunday, May 22, 2016

the power of words... again




I wrote the following post back in February, 2002 -  and was reminded of it recently when I spent some time in New Orleans with an old friend. It's amazing how the years apart make no difference and one can pick up right where they left off with some people. It's probably not always the case, but in this instance it is. This was my post back then.


The Power of Words

Not too long ago, I began to receive letters from an old friend that I hadn't seen in 15 - 20 years. She wrote me not knowing if her letter would reach me, but hoped that it would. It did. 

We roomed together for a bit at LSU in Baton Rouge and became friends. Somewhere along the road of life we both graduated, married, worked, raised families, and lost touch.

But her letters have brought back memories long forgotten and a time when life was so different and carefree. Even if the times weren't easy, the pace of life was. We were in college in the 60's. It was great fun. 

Well, perhaps not always great fun. There was Vietnam. And even though life on the campus went on, friends were conspicuous by their absence. 

But back to these letters. She's written 3 so far and I've replied -  filling in the gaps between then and now as best we can. She says, "Can you believe we're old?" or something to that effect... and I have to laugh.

She sent me a picture of her "old"... and I did the same. She looks great! Isn't it amazing how you can see an old friend and honestly say, "You've hardly changed!". It can't possibly be true - must be a trick of the eyes. Perhaps when you hold the picture of a person young in your heart, that's all you ever see...??? (certainly must be what happens when old farts like DH and myself look at each other - we see past the old and into the person we've always known...?? Sounds good?)

Anyway, her letters remind me of the awesome power of thoughts and words... to take you back, to keep you here, or to bring you anywhere."


It's now May 2016 - almost another 15 years later and now instead of writing letters - we email. But we continue to keep in touch - and meet in New Orleans when the opportunity arises.  And I'm ever so glad that her original letter in 2002 found me.

The funny thing is that my old friend from college years is so different from my dear old friend from Texas who drove with me to New Orleans this last trip. Yet... we all got along great and enjoyed ourselves very much! My Texas friend says that my old college friend is a bit crazy - and she is! She's wonderfully crazy and keeps me laughing. I adore the difference in our personalities. 






Do you have serious or crazy friends - or perhaps a combination of the above?  It's funny, but I think being a little eccentric makes people much more interesting. (One of my sons once told me that I was eccentric because I love rocks... and I do!)







8 comments:

  1. It is wonderful to have those long standing friendships across the distance of both time and geography.

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    1. Olga, I guess it surprises me that there are so many different versions of *friends*. There are the few (and getting fewer as we age) that are there every day for you, there are those from your past that you don't see often, but keep in contact with, there are those you do activities with - but are not close, and there are those you know only from online contact... but who you share your thoughts and life with. And all of them play an integral part.

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  2. Yes, I have those kind of friends and it's always wonderful to find them after an absence and discover that nothing has changed. Nothing at all, because your heart connection is still exactly the same as ever. Love your friend and cherish the connection. Thanks for sharing it with me. :-)

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    1. "... a heart connection"... I like that, DJan.

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  3. It is so true--when we see those lost friends again,we take right up where we left off. June my friend form the 2nd grade is coming to visit. She never left Ohio and I lived mostly in Florida but we still communicated.
    I have crazy friends and stable ones. They each fill a slot. Hum, now you have me wondering if they consider me crazy or stable.

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    1. I find it hard to think that any of my friends would consider me crazy... but I wouldn't mind if they did.

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  4. How wonderful that you and your friend were able to reconnect after so many years.

    I have a number of friends I have occasional contact with, either through Christmas cards or Facebook. Yet when we get together it is as if no time has past.

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    1. Thanks, Eileen. I guess it's as DJan commented, it's a *heart connection*...

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