Old Friends and New

What a delightful process ~ reconnecting with people you used to work with but haven't seen in awhile. With some, it is as if we were never apart. We just pick up where we left off, catch up on the news, and move forward. With others, it is traumatic, seeing what has happened to them, realizing they are not the same person you once knew, that they have moved away from where you are and there is no easy way to get back together, though not due to physical distance.

Was a time when you moved to a new place that you gave up your friends and colleagues in the old place and developed new ones. Oh, you said you were going to keep in touch, but the reality of new responsibilities and demands on your time caused you to let go of those not in the immediate location.

Now though, thanks to IM, cell phones, email, wikis, blogs, and a host of others communication devices and processes, I do not find that to be true. I stay connected with those who share common interests with me - my choir friends, my library colleagues. It opens up whole new realms of possibility.

At some point, I could easily be connected to a thousand people on a regular basis! Sure beats the "living in the same little town I grew up in" syndrome. The best part is, you don't have to pay through the nose to stay connected. At least, as long as IM and email are free! and cell phones still give you times of unlimited minutes. Now I just have to work harder at remembering to stay connected both in reality and virtually!