Old Friends

Email today from two old friends, first contact since 1979 when I was still an Army medic in the 101st Airborne at Ft. Campbell, Ky. Wow...

Last week I was contacted by a woman (then a girl) whom I briefly kissed at a New Year's Eve dance 1976-1977. She's single with five kids and lives in Virginia. When I knew her she was single and very innocent. Today she's still sweet. *smiles*

I like how social networks allow old friends to make contact twenty-thirty-forty years later. I think I have some friends on Facebook I've known 40 years. I'd have to check to be certain. I am certain I have some friends I've known 35 years. http://www.facebook.com/jwende

And even though I rarely tweet, people keep attaching to http://twitter.com/JesseWendel *shrugs*

Mostly I use social networks as a means for people to find me, and occasionally for me to find others. Once I'm in contact with the people I want to stay in touch with, I normally do so through email, texting, and telephone. And in person. That's what works for me. It isn't to say I don't sometimes tweet or post to Facebook; I do. And I'll look at people's photos and their posts, sometimes as well. However if a month goes by without my having opened Facebook or Twitter, well, that isn't what I consider a loss. On the other hand, I check my email account 3-5 times a day EXCEPT when I'm ill or taking the day off, or sometimes on weekends. Then, sometimes, I'll let a day or even a day and a half go by without bothering. This past week for example I spent all week home sick, didn't go to work at all. While I did look at my work email, just to make sure nothing major came in which I missed, I left my personal email alone almost completely. I think all week I haven't sent out more than 10-15 emails. Normally I send out 30-50 a day and that's when I'm not really paying attention.

Anyway, it was GREAT to hear from these old friends today. The interesting thing is how different I am now from how I was then. Doesn't mean I can't still be friends with these people -- my best friend in the world is a women who is my best friend as a boy's older sister. We have very different beliefs in a number of areas especially compared to what we believed in at 8, 9, 10 or even at 14-16 although I had already started to shift my behavior if not my beliefs. Yet now, 35 years later, she and I believe very differently but we're best friends and we simply put aside where we don't agree because our friendship matters much more to us than all that other crap.

We'll see if these other old friends are committed to being friends, or are committed to their belief structure. I hope its friendship. I really like these two -- we were great pals back in the day.

Cheers.