Remembered Loved Ones

As I was thinking about what I would write today, I ran through my memory of the last couple days. A couple of instances stuck out in my mind. The one I am writing about today is of an encounter I had last night.

A couple times a week I go to some business meetings in the evenings, and afterwards we all go to dinner together to relax and enjoy one another’s company. While I was on my way to the meeting last night I got to thinking about a one of my friends that I met at these meetings, but haven’t seen for quite a while. We’ll call her Candy.

I called them up and see how she and her husband were doing, but they didn’t answer the phone. I didn’t press it because I figured they must be at work or busy with their family. So we have a good meeting and then head to over to Mimi’s Café for some food. During dinner I get a text message from my friend that I called earlier.

It said that she was just getting off of work and wanted to come by. I told her where we were so she could find us, and didn’t tell anyone that she was coming. I thought it’d be a good surprise for everyone else that was there.

Well, people started getting finished up with their food and were about to leave. I told a couple of others that Candy was coming so she would have more people to see. (Now Candy and her husband are a couple that switch phones all the time so I wasn’t sure which would show up.) Needless to say, it was a pleasant surprise when she walked into the restaurant and saw us all there.

Now I can guess that you’re thinking that this isn’t a tale that is really uncommon, and it isn’t. It’s just the perspective that I put on it while I was reviewing it in my memory.

Anyway, back to the story. We all hung around for a bit longer than we normally do to catch up. What was funny was that another friend that gave birth a short while ago showed up for the meeting and went to dinner as well. She mentioned that she had thought of Candy earlier that day, about the same time as I called her, as well. I think it’s interesting that we would both think about Candy near the same time.

That night was fun. Like I said, it’s been a while since I have seen her, and I’m glad I called her. We’ve made plans for me to come over and hang out with her family soon. I’m grateful for the chance I have to rekindle this old friendship, and it all started with a small thought of curiosity and concern for an old friend. It’s definitely worth following the urgings to care about people. Calling someone that you haven’t talked to in a long time is like what Mr. Gump says.

“You never know what you’re gonna get.”