We all know how it is today,job relos or no job situations?
Well, 23 years ago we had bought our first home, it was a charming oldie built in 1865,the little neighborhood was made up of many old timers,we all became very close,my neighbors next door and a cousin of theirs, up the block, gave me a surprise baby shower, that's just a little snippet of how close we were all, on our block, with them and others.
Oh well after we had to move (job relo) keeping in touch gradually faded, I guess being a first time mom, now living about 3 hours apart, other life events (deaths in family and my start of depression) I never followed up.
Well, 20 yrs later, I found that my one dear friend passed away 10/04/05,while checking if she was still at the same location and phone number through the internet, I really had intentions of giving her a call.
That bummed me out, cause for a couple of years I've been wanting to get back in touch with her and her cousins(my old neighbors) but have been feeling,wouldn't that be awkward? The years have passed, we lost touch? Would it look weird to now just call them and be back in touch? I now live in a state closer to them, so a visit up there wouldn't be a big deal, I'd love to let them know how they are forever on my mind, all these yrs. but life sort of caused me to wander away. They really were the best neighbors, in fact on both sides the nieighbors were terrific, amazing we lived there 3yrs, then we lived in our other house 15yrs, no one there ever was that friendly, or ever acknowledged our moving, not even a handshake and wish for luck.
That same night while on the internet, I saw over the years,not knowing what years, 3 HS classmates had passed on, including one of my favourite teachers, she was so great. I never cared for HS, or most of the cliques that were a given,I never went to any class re-unions,the people I did like never did either, but to know fellow classmates,passing on or their spouse, reminded me again, that we are getting old, the class of 75,were no longer teens, but middle aged people who all went seperate ways a long time ago.
I have no regrets of not keeping in touch with HS buddies,but do regret not getting together with my neighbors,where we only lived 3yrs.
My heart tells me to give my old neighbors a call and stay in touch, for life is way too short.
This is what I found out the other day, though I well know this is true,it just became another painful reality.