“A quick rundown of your life since we last saw you in 1990!!”

In January of 2009, after ignoring numerous requests over the previous 6 months, I finally relented and joined the Cult of Facebook. I am so glad I did because I’ve gotten back in touch with some very dear friends from various parts of my life with whom I’d lost touch over the years.

Invariably there have been quite a few folks who I’ve “friended” but didn’t really know well in person and on two occasions have slashed and burned through my list de-friending people who didn’t meet the litmus test; Do I really consider them friends, or have any type of relationship with them outside of Facebook? For the most part, those people haven’t noticed that I disappeared from their list which confirmed there wasn’t a connection. Recently I’ve relaxed a little on this and have friended people with whom I have a lot of mutual friends – mainly from college.

In early September I was looking at the list of “people you may know” and saw M whom I knew in college but wasn’t really close to. Something had me friend him and in less than 24 hrs he accepted. When I logged on to FB a few days later I discovered a message – “Crazy Patti – K says Hello!” - with friend request from J (wife of K, a pal from the late 80’s in Rochester) who I haven’t seen in over 20 years.

I was SO happily surprised and immediately accepted her friend request.

J gave me the highlights of her life followed by “What about you? A quick rundown of your life since we last saw you around our wedding in 1990!!”

“Here goes…I went to airplane mechanic school in ‘90/’91, went to California ’91-‘96, moved to NYC and got a corporate job, got sober in Sept 1997 (yay!), moved to Stamford CT with that company and worked there ‘til the market crash in 2008 (they ’set me free’ thank goodness!), during my time at that co. I bought the cutest brownstone in Fairfield, CT where I lived for 6 years. 2009-2010 went to yoga teacher training, sold the house and most of my stuff, taught yoga for 18 months and in June came to India to live at a spiritual center with my teacher and a small group of students. And then you found me! Hahahaa…it’s been a grand experience (life, that is) and I have such fond memories of you and K and our posse….How did you find me?”

“I’m facebook friends with M and noticed your name. I knew it was you immediately!”

Check this out: M and K have a mutual friend, B. K and B grew up together in Rochester and M and B met at SUNY Oswego. Neither K nor B are on FB. M and J, K’s wife, subsequently met and became FB friends (acquaintances in real life) and when M accepted my friend request J saw it and told K. It sounds convoluted, but it shows me once again how small the world is, particularly with the advent of FB.

I am very happy to say that J and I are going to surprise K with my visit to see them on my way to Rochester for Thanksgiving. It feels so good to discover the same deep fondness is present after so many years of lost contact, and that J and I have things in common that we discovered separately during the intervening years.

It’s going to be a wonderful Thanksgiving and I wish the same for you.

CARPE DIEM!

The Happy Yogini