Do I Know You?

I have to admit I'm quite enjoying social media, at least Facebook and twitter to some degree. The other platforms I have not really best and best interest of time. Particularly Facebook has held my interest as I have searched and reached back to find players from my youth. I'm kind of embarrassed to have such a need to make contact with these folks. In no small way I've used these contacts to validate myself. Most of times the contacts have been rewarding and most validating. I particularly have enjoyed reestablishing relationships I thought were forever lost.

I've been mildly humbled and somewhat shocked at how self-centered (I don't know if that's the right term) I am thinking that everybody remembers ME! I'm totally surprised at how many people don't remember who I am or was or how many people just don't care. More than one of my ex-wives have insinuated that I have better-than-average self-esteem. Still it is always a glass of cold water in the face to realize I am not the center of everybody else's world and probably never was. Actually, Facebook is sort of like the last chapter of a book. Facebook kind of lets you finish the story of your friends or acquaintances you grew up with let's you know how they turned out or what happened to them. I am so envious in many of the postings I see of how many people have stayed in contact with each other over the years. I really miss this kind of contact.

I've heard some people equate Facebook and other platforms to high school. And they are, to some degree, are correct. Touching base with some of these folks that I grew up with sort of feels like passing them in the hall in high school and saying “hi” or smiling at them. That's okay but it doesn't get any deeper than that unless you are a part of that group then I'm sure there are all kinds of communications going on. It just amazes me. Somebody I thought I was fairly close to at one point in my adolescent life recently surfaced on Facebook and I was blown away. I have thought of this person hundreds of times and wondered what happened to them then suddenly there she was. I of course “friended” her. She accepted the friendship request I realize now out of politeness. But I make contact with her further and finally she asked if I knew her or she knew me. I was stunned. I don't quite remember how we met. We didn't go to the same high school I don't think I knew her before my accident. We may have met at the Saturday night dance (if you really want to do the research it in one of these posts they talk about the Saturday Night Dance). She was a close friend of my girlfriend at the time and perhaps that's how we may contact. But I remember though is that we have a couple of all my phone conversations... We traded a few more posts and probably will trace some more but she definitely does not remember me as I remembered her. And this is good, reality shock is always good… Isn't it?