My Place in this Life
I had an absolutely amazing experience recently. An old school friend of mine who I last saw and spoke to, about 18 years ago called me out of the blue. He had apparently recognised my father who he also saw about 18 years ago and asked him for my contact details. We talked over the phone for about 30 minutes, exchanging telephone numbers and commited ourselves to meet when we were both in the same province again.
After I put the phone down, I could not stop smiling. I had a feeling of euphoria and gushed to my wife about the call and promptly went to dig up old class photographs. Its not that I dont have many friends, which truthfully I dont. Its just that being surrounded by people who have known you for many years, when you were a different person, contextualises ones life. I felt a certain fulfillment that clearly identified a shortcoming in my life. I have a wife and two children whom I love very much. In spite of this, the phone call made me long for old and deep friendships that have not been a part of my life for almost 2 decades. Just the thought of rekindling this friendship, made me feel as though I may just belong here in this life.
The presence of old friends who know you, who have seen you at your worst and best and who you know have seen you as such, I am starting to realise, function as a anchor in life. They allow you look back at who you were, where you came from, where you planned to go and how you got where you are today, never judging because we know each other well enough to know that any attempt to lie to each other will be a pointless exercise. The greatest regret that I have is that I have not maintained any of my friendships over the past 20 years. I have been a lessor person as a result of this.
After I put the phone down, I could not stop smiling. I had a feeling of euphoria and gushed to my wife about the call and promptly went to dig up old class photographs. Its not that I dont have many friends, which truthfully I dont. Its just that being surrounded by people who have known you for many years, when you were a different person, contextualises ones life. I felt a certain fulfillment that clearly identified a shortcoming in my life. I have a wife and two children whom I love very much. In spite of this, the phone call made me long for old and deep friendships that have not been a part of my life for almost 2 decades. Just the thought of rekindling this friendship, made me feel as though I may just belong here in this life.
The presence of old friends who know you, who have seen you at your worst and best and who you know have seen you as such, I am starting to realise, function as a anchor in life. They allow you look back at who you were, where you came from, where you planned to go and how you got where you are today, never judging because we know each other well enough to know that any attempt to lie to each other will be a pointless exercise. The greatest regret that I have is that I have not maintained any of my friendships over the past 20 years. I have been a lessor person as a result of this.
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