I've Been Thinking of You, My Friend

I ran into a friend of mine the other day that I hadn’t seen in a long while.  I was taken by surprise when he came up to me, and I realized that I really missed him.  Thoughts came flooding back about all the things we had shared and experienced together years ago, from raising families to serving in the military at the same command.

Afterwards, I started thinking about all the guys in my life that in some way shaped me to be the man I am today.  I reflected on my high school and college buddies, my submarine brothers, my coaching compadres, the co-workers that I considered friends, and realized that I only reach out to them on rare occasions.

I had to ask myself why I don’t reach out any more than I do.  Is it that my life is so busy I don’t have time?  Is it that I simply don’t think of them very often?  Or is it something deeper, in that my independence prevents me for reaching out, checking in or asking for advice?

I’ve come to the conclusion that I need those guys in my life.  I have always needed them.  For me personally, I need to seek them out again.  I need to reconnect, check in and see how their lives are going.  Where are they at in their careers? How is their family life?  What are their kids doing? Are they following in dad’s footsteps?  Even more importantly, I simply need to let them know that I’m thinking of them.

The reward will be immense for me, and perhaps for them as well.  Reconnecting with old friends will spark that kindred spirit that brought us together all those years ago.  I am a firm believer that when we come in contact with someone in which we share commonalities, it happens for a reason.  We are brought together from different geographic locations, different vocations and circumstances, but we stand together because we were meant to.

So I’ve assigned myself a mission.  I vow to reach out to one lost friend every month.  Find out how they are.  Ask if I can be of support in whatever they have going on in life.  Make an attempt to get together face-to-face as time and location allows.  Get back to where we were when we discovered that kindred spirit.  I plan to call up my best friend in high school, reach out to my college fraternity brother and teammate, check in with a shipmate I had the privilege of serving with, message the buddy that showed me the ropes of becoming a head baseball coach, send a note to the co-worker from years ago that I’d go to lunch with almost every day.

I’m putting you on notice, Scott.  Mike, I’m letting you know now.  I’m giving you a heads up, Mark.  Dan, I’m informing you. Stephen, I want you to hear this straight from me that I’m heading your way.  I’m going to poke and prod.  We’re going to share memories.  We will laugh, call each other names, make fun of one another or even shed a tear together, but we will reengage once again.  

It’s the least I can do; you were my friend then and you remain so today.

 

A Common Man