Thursday, March 12, 2009

Old Friends

The other day I got to thinking about some of my high school friends. I think what started my thinking was that I was talking to someone who reminded me of one of my friends. Out of curiosity, I googled his name and saw a website for a company that specialized in one of his hobbies. I clicked on it and saw that the location of the company was very close to my old high school. I was pretty sure this was my old friend. I sent him a message to see if it was him. It turned out to be my old friend Calvin.

About 18 years ago I had contacted him and spoke to him on the phone. I can't believe it has been that long. How does time pass so quickly? And the weird thing is that when I am talking to someone, or corresponding through email, I don't stop to think about how old I am. I still think of myself as the same person I was that many years ago. But when I look in the mirror I get a sharp reminder of how much time has passed.

Calvin and I met when we both signed up to run cross country. We started training together because he lived very close to me. We spent alot of time running and talking. Eventually we both made friends with another guy on the team who I ended up dating for about 1 1/2 years. He agreed to teach Calvin and I, and my youngest brother, martial arts. I think it was at least a year and a half that we took lessons from him. We made a make shift "dojo" in our garage, and even bought a punching bag. We accumulated many martial arts practice weapons, and spent alot of time sparring. I cringe when I think of some of the injuries I got from, and gave to Calvin in sparring. lol

I guess you can never go back, but there is some comfort in hearing that those who are your friends are still around and have lived a full life the same as yourself. It's interesting to see what paths they take, and what they have accomplished in their life.

I transferred to that high school in my sophomore year, so didn't really know too many of the students from that school. If they held a reunion today, I probably wouldn't go because I don't know that many of the people I graduated with. Calvin, and my other friends were all a grade behind me. I probably would feel more comfortable attending THEIR reunion. But even though I will probably never attend a reunion, it is nice to reunite, even if via email or phone, for even just a brief time.

3 comments:

Looney said...

"Oh how I miss punching you out!" ;-)

Ramana Rajgopaul said...

I passed out of a business school in 1967. In 2006, some of the classmates, still in touch with each other, got together, and with great effort, located and contacted every single one of us to organize a 40th year reunion in 2007. With remarkable tenacity, they networked and made it a one hundred percent contact or established that the classmate was no more. The meet did take place and was a great success. The offshoot has been that we now have a vibrant group in touch with each other as well as with the total group via group mail etc. Many mini meetings take place and it is truly a very satisfying experience. All of us are now beyond retirement age except for those in their own businesses or consultancy. Almost all of us are grand parents and exchanging notes about families, sharing photographs etc have brought many new relationships into existence.

I strongly recommend trying to get in touch with old classmates. The resulting relationships are truly very satisfying.

Amber said...

i know what you mean when we moved to ABQ most of the classes I took were for the grade ABOVE me so sometimes I think it would be nicer to go to their reunion since i knew more of them