“A friend is a gift you give yourself.” –Robert Louis Stevenson
This week’s theme was originally inspired by my niece. She commented on how she’d like a little inspiration, 
even an excuse, to reconnect with an old friend. That simple thought triggered the concept which I think is an interesting one in this day and age of online social networks. For instance, since getting a Facebook page I have been flabbergasted by the number of people from my past that have contacted me, some I didn’t really even know that well.
I’m a bit of a “memory lane” sap so I’ve been quite taken by these contacts. I love considering the past, even those times that may have been a bit rougher. I think they have much to teach us. A couple of years ago, I spent quite a bit of my personal time digitizing home video. Seeing my kids as babies makes the time seem not that long ago. Similarly, I found a VHS tape of an old, old home movie of my mom and her parents from the 1940’s. I digitized it and edited it slightly before putting it up on YouTube for my family to see. If you’re interested, take a look. And, yes, that’s my grandmother being a little silly with a couple of very large tomatoes.
For the purpose of inspiration, I invite you to take a look at another video, this one the true story of a reunion between a lion in the wild and the two people who first rescued the lion, raised it, and then released it when it grew too big. See if this video doesn’t inspire you to reconnect with someone from the past. View it here.
Kind Living 
There they are – fresh warm tomatoes right out of the garden – how I miss them. Wonder what variety they were – almost looked like they had three or four segments. Thanks for sharing the video.
The reunification with the lion is utter beauty. This inspiration led me back to a friend that, though we rarely stay in touch, I know she is always there. She and her husband are beautiful people. We tend to resurface in each other’s lives about every three years and it is just like the lion. The love is there, the fun is there, the beauty is there, always. Regardless of the origin of our beast, one does not ever forget love born in truth, courage and good/divine will.
Oh Me! Oh, MY! I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date. I have spent the week considering which of three friends/acquaintances I would reconnect with. I chose to call the one I rather dreaded contacting because our last words were strained and our last call nearly four years ago concluded rather abruptly.
It took me so long to decide who I was going to call that I am not on time with my post! So first I am forgiving myself for being late and second I am not going to put pressure on myself to do the assignment this week even as my son’s family is visiting to ski with us. So I will be calling Alan after this class is over! But that’s okay – time is sometimes fast and sometimes slow….