When I released my second book, I got an unexpected surprise. People I haven't seen for decades reached out. We reconnected. While I don't know much about what their lives have been like over all this time, I felt happy. I wasn't so much focused on how we were back then, but there was a curiosity about how they had navigated life after all this time.
Good times, bad times. We've all seen a lot over the decades. Some things I relate to, in a way I'm not personally involved in, but I get it because I have had similar experiences. Life happens. Aging or losing parents comes with all kinds of baggage. Our own aging bodies where we talk about replacement body parts. Spouses, partners, kids, and grandkids give us connections and something to talk about. I cherish our memories together. Any rough spots have long since been erased by time leaving old photograph scenes popping into my head from time to time. I smile to myself and try to conjure up other memories.
I am forever grateful for whatever we shared that brought us here. Here's to the friends in the distance. I may never see you again in person, but I'll always remember you with love.