Facebook .......and it's possibilities!

If you haven't had the opportunity to sign up for Facebook, Do IT! I decided to find out about this.... Facebook phenomenon! Slowly I started building up my list of Facebook friends and by the end of the first month I was connected to 500 people. I couldn't believe it! Work, Church, School, Theatre, Old, New, and Young Friends all at my fingertips. I was having several conversations at the same time swapping stories, family vacations, high school pictures, and updates on our children and relationships.

Recently, however, three amazing connections have happened:

1. My God Brother, Todd Goings Schaffer found my sister and I after almost 20 years. Our families grew apart when my parents divorced. I'll never forget how he re-introduced himself as my brother. He told me how much he missed having two sisters. To talk of that particular year was affirming to us both. There was a feeling of, "No, you weren't insane, it really happened!"

Now I am in daily contact with him. He lives in Indiana, and we plan to reunite next summer in Maine. I have seen pictures of his children and wife. We swap emails of daily life and past remembrances. I am blessed and happy to have him back in my life. We were immediately bonded when were younger. He was very much a part of my life, as a brother, but more like a spiritual brother. After our first two weeks of conversation, I called him just to hear his voice. His mother, Anne Clark, has also reconnected with my mother. She used to babysit for her when she was 5 years old. Todd became our God brother just about 5 years old, if I recall.

2. Debbie Compton (now Ferraro) former high school upper classmate. She graduated in 1980. I graduated in 1983. She was the coolest girl in the school. She had a 80s rock hair cut and listened to the Rolling Stones and met Nikki Six of of Motley Crue. You never starred at her sideways, because she'd stare you down and call you out. If she liked you, she told you so. I met her when we both signed up for our musical "Mame." I was in the chorus, and still shy. She was Mother Burnside - loud and proud. I remember having a few conversations with her, but always wondering what it would be like to hang out with her on a Friday night. It never happened until last Friday night at the Wilmington Clifford Brown Jazz fest. We met face to face three weeks ago. We planned to meet for lunch. How did this happen? Facebook conversations, postings, updates, photos, and the list goes on. We have music, faith, and other interests in common. Little did we know we were living only a few miles from each other during the 90s. Almost 35 years, and we smiled as we first greeted. She was a mom, and so was I. She looked like me now. We spent almost 8 hours together reminiscing about our teenage lives. We shared our experiences of our growing pains and feeling all the stronger for it and testifying that we wouldn't change a thing.

3. Scott Raybuck was a high school crush, friend, band and drama classmate. He was one of my first friends in the new 8th grade Smyrna school. He played the clarinet, and sometimes went out for the high school musicals. He was in sports, and we had a few classes together. We also met at the town dances. He was quite the ladies man. In the 11th grade, I went stag to help at the Senior prom dance. Scott asked me to slow dance with him during one of the last songs that evening, even though he had a date. We never "officially" dated, but had an intimate close friendship. After we graduated, he decided to enlist in the Army. I moved to New Castle, DE with my family.

It wasn't until recently that he found me on a classmate website. We emailed each other quick notes saying Hello. He is now happily married with children living in Clarksville, Tennessee. He brought his family out to Ocean City, MD for an early summer vacation. On his way home, last weekend, I spent time with his family at his parents home. I met his lovely wife, two adorable girls, and we got to know each other. Scott and I caught up on each others lives. It was strange looking at gray hair, wrinkles, and chubby cheeks. Still, we had fun remembering our friends from school. Before the night was over, we were giggling like we were back on the band bus. He hadn't spoken of his teenage years of school to his family until our reunion. It was interesting watching him slowly reveal some fun moments he'd remembered. As we took pictures and said so long, we were back to being us, as Scott reminded me. The best part of the visit, was being told by his young daughters, that they'd never met anyone their Dad's age that was So Coooool!

After meeting with my classmates Debbie and Scott, I instantly felt as if I got a part of my heart back? When I was 14, I was so shy and wanted to be part of something. I wanted to be accepted and loved. I had no idea that I was accepted. I felt out of place, as most teens do. I was trying so hard to fit and gave my friends a part of me.

There are more future connects that will happen with Facebook friends. I will not let possibility pass my door. Life is too short not to have an opportunity to feel young again - days of romance, laughter, smiles, giggles, and friendship.

Do you have any recent connections with old friends? I would love to hear about them!