CROSSING PATHS

Sometimes I think of the many people I've met during my life and lost contact with, and I wonder what's become of them and where they are now. Dwelling in the past is not in my nature, but I do believe that those who say they live only in the moment, or those who say they prefer to look to the future are not necessarily telling the truth. Of course you might have had traumatic experiences that you'd rather suppress and forget, and of course we all have memories buried deep in our sub-conscious that we don't dig out all the time. But whether we like it or not the past is a part of us, it has formed us and helped mould us into who we are. And people who have crossed our path have certainly made impressions on us - to a smaller or larger extent.

Kuwait 1975

I'm basically curious. Exceptionally curious some might say. That's why the Internet has been a godsend for me - my curiosity is satisfied immediately, and I don't have to lie awake wondering about where I've seen this or that actor before, where I've heard a particular song, who the singer is, who a certain writer is, what articles he or she has written, what books.... Well, you name it. My restless mind seems to have no limits to its hunger for information.

Joining Facebook was fantastic for me! I found and reconnected with old friends all over the world (ex-boyfriends too), and some found me. Memories were and are still shared - photos, music, old stories. A number of them quite emotional actually. And some reconnections have led to reunions.

But it's a fact that most of the people I've known and liked along the way will never reappear and I will never know how life has treated them. I often think of this. However - yesterday I had unexpected news of an ex-boyfriend from nearly forty years back and learnt that he'd died just a few years ago. He was my brother's teacher at the American School in Kuwait, and it was my sister who rang me yesterday - she'd found out via an alumni Facebook site where she's a member. The strange thing is that I recently wrote about him in an earlier blog post, because he opened my ears and eyes to Joni Mitchell's music.

So I had to go for a walk last night, alone - thinking back, remembering, wondering what had happened and what his life had been like. It was not a long relationship and I can't recall any heartache when it ended, but I can remember having a good time with him. I can remember being excited with the crush I was having - only a teenager still, and he a much older teacher! Well, five years older anyway.... 

Oh yes. The world is truly small these cyberspace-days. The past can catch up with you in many ways, good, bad or bittersweet... It will always be there - living inside you somewhere.