PrevT,

We met in your office when you told me a tiny bit about yourself...about you being in school...I’m not sure what grade...
You spoke of your teacher, “She found me.”

You didn’t go into why you were feeling lost... But it seemed like it was a significant connection for you- a turning point.

I remember.

I watched the Elizabeth Smart autobiography and am caught up in the moments of her discovery and rescue. While my story isn’t as dramatic and painful as hers, I identify with being ensnared in a sort-of ‘kidnaping’ and, certainly, a feeling of being absolutely lost. And absolutely found- by you.

Feeling ‘found’ came slowly. Feeling ‘found’ and trust was built by incident on top of incident.

I play back emotions of that time...confusion, fear, distrust...wanting so badly to tell you his name but feeling afraid. Confusion that maybe he was, at worst, a good man who perhaps made a mistake? Would I ruin him by telling you his name?

More feelings- you weren’t going to judge me? Hurt me? Reject me? Betray me? You were on my side? For reals?

We addressed the many other areas where I was lost... and you helped find me there, too.

Feeling ‘found’, finding True North....it felt kind of delicious. I still feel glad and thankful.

So I thought, maybe, feeling ‘found’ was one way you related to me...since you were ‘found’ once, too.