Here's What I REALLY Wanted To Write About!
A few weeks ago I was talking to Bobby about some friends of my past. I told him that there were 3 people that I have known over the years that I would love to find someday. All three of these people left profound imprints in my heart that I have kept with me many, many years. Low and behold...I found one of them! I was surfing the local realty sites, and ran across her picture as one of the agents. She lives just 20 minutes away! She invited us over last night for a 4th of July party her and her husband were having. So, I met up with my best friend from high school that I haven't seen in nearly 18 years! This picture was taken last night of Meegan and I.
Now..one could ask how we could have lost contact if we were best friends? It's pretty simple really. Meegan graduated two years before me, we kept in contact until I graduated, but fell out of touch when I went off to college. This is where I get to add that I'm lousy at correspondence. My dad lives just 5 minutes away and we hardly ever call each other either! Here's the story of the three close friends that I lost contact with:
Stephanie: I met Steph in 2nd grade. She was my best buddy back in those days. I moved 8 times in the 2nd grade, back and forth between the same small two schools. I finally settled down, but in the other school. At this age, it never even occurred to me to get a phone number or address or anything. I went to a new school in 6th grade, and what do you know? I ran into Steph! So we hook up again, become closer than ever and she became one of the few people over the years to really know me. About my mom and all. I moved again in the 8th grade and we kept in touch for a year, then the letters started drifting further and further apart on both sides until they just stopped completely. Picture this: First day of college, three hours away from all of these small towns and I run into her on the campus! We became roommates the second semester, our friendship picked up again and all was good. I transferred to a college closer to home so that I could get married. Steph was supposed to be in the wedding but backed out at the last minute. I never knew why. The rumor I heard later was that one of my other friends that I had been trying to become untangled from had said some nasty things to her. This other girl invited herself to be in my wedding, and I let it go because I wasn't much for confrontation. I haven't heard from Steph since so I don't know if this other girl upset her. I couldn't find her after that.
Vanessa: I met Vanessa in the 4th grade. Just this one year, I was sent away to Springfield, Missouri to live with my aunt and uncle. The elementary school had a deaf center. The hearing abled and disabled went to the same school, had different classes but shared the extra activities and lunch hours. I noticed right away that it seemed rather segregated. The hearing impaired kids didn't have much to do with the hearing kids and vice versa. I saw Vanessa one day during lunch and there was just something about her that I can't explain. I wanted to be her friend. Problem was, I could hear. She wouldn't have anything to do with me. So I stayed after school every day to learn sign language so that I could talk to her. I learned it fairly quickly and tried to approach her a few times, but was quickly rejected. But I was persisent and just wouldn't go away! She finally broke and we became fast friends. We tought each other things. She taught me to feel music vibrations and really feel music, and I taught her how to play board games. She had many siblings, and tons of games in the house. I was infuriated when I learned that no one had ever shown her how to play even one of them! She would have to sit and watch the rest of the family. There's a lot more to this one, but I'll leave it here because I still have yet to really introduce you to Meegan. I ended up being pulled out of that school towards the end of the school year. We wrote letters to each other at least twice a week, then one day her letters just stopped and mine were returned from the postmaster. I found out that the school closed. There were no other deaf centers in the area at that time, so I imagine the family had to move to find her a school. I never heard from her again. (I think I may have found her in Orlando, but I'm not sure yet, I'm still looking into a few things!)
Meegan: I met Meegan my freshman year of high school through one of our choir classes. Her talent just amazed me. She has such a beautiful voice, and such a deep heart. She's one of those people that speaks from the heart and is so genuine. I was in awe of her because she was into everything I wanted to be doing! Concert choir, awards, show choir, competitions. Underclassmen weren't allowed to try out for Concert Choir or show choir, but luck was on my side and I was allowed to try out for Concert Choir my sophmore year. Meegan and I just seemed to hit it off, and we were paired together quite a bit because our voices blended so well together and we both had a wide vocal range. We had so much fun that year! We went cleaned up at competitions that year, we tried out for the Muny Opera together (we were both way too nervous and pretty much blew it...but at least Meegan got to finish her song!) We sang in the Messiah at one of the churches. I tried different churches with her, still searching for my place! We went around town trying to get sponsors when Meegan was in a beauty pageant, the list just goes on! I was so sad when she graduated because I still had two more years to go. But she was always there when I had something big coming up. I followed her footsteps and made show choir, and went to district...continuing in her footsteps all the way to AllState Choir. She was always there cheering me on, and I would go to her local college productions as well. She was always so easy to talk to, and my guard with her wasn't an issue at all, and I always wanted to be there for her to lean on when she just needed to talk. We lost touch when I went away to college and for many years, I've wondered how she was doing. Well..now I know! She looks great, is a well established business woman of many trades and she looks HAPPY! I'm so proud of her, and I don't want to lose contact with her this time!
So that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
On the BFL front, I've been really good, eating clean and no missed workouts but no physical changes.
posted by Wolfie @ 4:14 PM
Comments: 8
