The most amazing thing just happened to me the other day. I actually found a relevant use for Facebook. A month or two ago, a friend told me that I HAD TO create an account and that I’d become instantly addicted. Well I created the account and then pretty much forgot about it until last week. Then for some reason I got a number of “Friend” invitations from both people I know well and people that I haven’t seen in years. Being in Key West, away from my day to day responsibilities, I had some time on my hands. So I actually updated my page with more details and did some searching through the Friend lists of my Friends for other friends (using the caps to differentiate between Facebook “Friends” and my “friends”). Okay – so my OCD tendencies kicked in and I felt compelled to comb through everyone’s Friend list to make sure I caught each and every last acquaintance.
Still this was just one of the many tedious exercises I put myself through (again – my OCD), and I didn’t expect to get much more from it than the usual momentary sense of accomplishment. But then something really wonderful happened. I actually found one of my best childhood friends whom I lost touch with almost ten years ago.
Last time we spoke, she had just moved to LA and couldn’t afford to fly back to DC for my wedding. As it sometimes happens with long distance friends, we let too much time pass and the next thing I knew, it had been years. But we were close during that period of childhood when your friends live at your house and treat your family like their family. I never had a sister, so Madeline became my sister. Here are some of the things that come to mind when I think of Madeline in fourth grade:
- She was the middle child of one of those big Catholic families (five kids), with two older sisters and two younger brothers. Her sisters were teenagers with bedrooms on their own floor of the house. They would put make up on us and style our hair. They gave Madeline her first “winged” haircut and we thought it was very sophisticated. They also told Madeline that she would be the prettiest of the three. I always thought how wonderful it must be to have glamorous teenage sisters with such high hopes for your future.
- She actually was a beautiful little girl, and once a woman stopped us on the street to tell her how lovely she was and remark upon her long eyelashes. We laughed about how weird that was, but Madeline was secretly pleased and I was secretly jealous. In spite of being quite petite and pretty, she was also a bit of a tomboy and was always good at climbing trees and bossing around her little brothers.
- The first time I played at her house it was a sleepover and I marveled at how she had her very own little black and white TV in her room. We stayed up late watching Benny Hill and Saturday Night Live and laughing at everything – even the jokes we didn’t understand.
- One of Madeline’s little brothers had Down syndrome and even though he wasn’t the youngest, he was cherished like a youngest child. Madeline was somehow very protective of him without ever making him seem any different from the rest of them. As small as she was, everything Madeline did was big. And her love could be best described as fierce.
- Madeline and I fought like sisters and once I actually punched her in the face. I was not a tomboy and had never done anything like that before. She laughed and I got a bloody nose. I was good at holding grudges, but she was always able to get me to come around. Most of the time I didn’t deserve it.
I could go on and on about the things that I remember about Madeline – about all of my childhood friends and how much I still remember about them. Who would have thought that something as commercial as Facebook would bring one of the lost ones back to me. Now I’m looking for Frances McMillen, Jerry Dougherty and Sarah Squire. All friends from different times – friendships both long and brief. They all count and now I want them all back. So we’ll see what Facebook has to offer.
I haven’t actually asked for comments yet (since you all seem to prefer e-mailing me directly…). But why not? What about you? Looking for a missing person? Who are they and what are the little but big things that you remember about them?
I TOLD you! I knew you would love it. The same thing happened to me. I hadn’t had any contact with one of my best friends from high school in over 18 years and when she “friended” me, I was shocked and taken aback. I kinda froze! Then she started e-mailing and it was great to connect again.
I still haven’t ventured over to facebook. Although i have an invitation sitting in my inbox right now…… i’m afraid of the commitment….
I’m so glad today’s topic was Facebook! My nineteen year old cousin recently told me that Facebook (and My Space)is considered ridiculous for the over 30 crowd, and that I was banned from using it. I can’t wait to email her your blog. I guess I can now set up an account and not feel like I’m trying to be a teenager!
thanks for the link! great post. I feel so content with the friends I have found again. I’ve wondered about them for years. Now I wait for another handful to join.