Claire messages me each time she sees something shaped like a heart; a leaf, a rock, an oil stain in the grocery story parking lot. She snaps a picture of the found heart and sends it to me with “just thinking of you!”
Mary does this when she sees a picture of Cary Grant, on television, in a newspaper or a meme.
Jane thinks of me whenever Cosmic Crisp apples are available at her Farmers Market and last week she texted me an article from the Wall Street Journal on my favorite apples.
I do this with friends too. This week, I texted every man named Joseph I knew to honor them on the Feast of St Joseph.
And my text roll reveals I sent a friend from junior high a mesasge because one of our old favorite Cure songs came on.
Sometimes the text receives a nice thumbs up or smiley face emoji. Sometimes the text sparks a conversation. Sometimes it is nothing more than reaching out through time and space to let each other know we are thinking of each other.
And you know, that is enough.
Like a message in a bottle, these texts keep us connected. Often this is all we have to keep us tethered to our friendship or our past, as we do not see each other often.
And it brings me great joy.
I love that Erin still thinks of me when she hears Belinda Carlilse because we sang “Heaven is a Place on Earth” in her bedroom in Whittier, California, 35 years ago---because I still think of her when I hear a Belinda song. She lives in Kentucky now and I in Seattle and we haven’t seen each other since 1999 but when I hear a song by Belinda Carlilse, I remember how much I loved my friend and how much I love her still.
Maybe you do this too. You reach out to stay connected to those whose line to you is frayed and perhaps ready to break. For the price of ten seconds the line holds fast.
Or perhaps the person you think of whenever you eat asparagus is now gone. Perhaps they are no longer your friend or they have died some years passed. But you can conjure them up in your mind, young and healthy, happy and free, and when just the thought of eating asparagus would make the two of you laugh until you peed in your pants.
And even that is enough. Even that brings you joy.
***
This Week:
I learned I have been accepted to University of Saint Thomas Summer Writers Institute. I am looking forward to sharpening my writing skills this summer with a team that I have so wanted to learn from. See you in June!
Hit 6300 follower on X -That deserves a 5 minute dance party at least
My post of faith-filled Easter, First Communion and Confirmation Gifts
Started a part-time/contract Writing Coach job with Christian Theological Seminary coaching two pastors to tell their stories.
I will be attending Calvin’s Festival of Faith and Writing. Will you be there?
Consider becoming a paid subscriber. With three more paid subscriptions, I can paid my guest writers (and my own student loan payment)
I am so excited you are going to Calvin’s Festival of Faith and Writing!! I have so many fond memories of events there while I was a student.
I relate so much to this piece. The longer I live, the more remembered links to others