I am thankful for surprise connections.
I have a Facebook account but I am definitely not a frequent poster--maybe once a year or so. However, that does not stop others from reaching out to become FB friends with me. I made one of these friend connections recently with Sam.
Sam was with me throughout most of our school years. While we were together in many of our elementary school classes, we went different ways as time progressed. If truth be told, I remember more about Sam in fifth grade drawing elaborate pictures of army tanks and airplanes than I do about him in high school. We probably had classes together, but I don't remember them.
Sam recently became a new grandfather to twin girls that he posted about on his FB page. He was quite proud and sent me a picture through Messenger as I'm sure he did many others. I made an appropriate one line comment about the babies and he replied with the standard, "What have you been up to?"
Then we chatted a bit and tried to catch up on the last 40 years. He asked me if I had ever been to a Grateful Dead concert or to a biker rally. I answered no to both of those. He said he had led an unfocused life and was now in constant pain from showing off too much in his younger years. We had pretty much led totally opposite lives. But that didn't seem to matter. We were still the friends we had been in fifth grade.
Then Sam said something that took me by surprise. He said that he had been blessed to get to know my father in his later years and he was a fine gentleman. He added, "He was so proud of you." I said that my father had set a good example for me and my sisters. And Sam said, "Obviously." After a few sentimental tears, I spent the rest of the day smiling about the chat I had had with Sam.
Many of the connections I make on Facebook are not much more than a distraction from other things I should be doing. But sometimes, there is a special moment like the one with Sam recently and for that I am thankful.
