We'll Be Friends Forever!

[Carmen S]

It seems like the school year just ended, and yet, back to school sales have been going strong for more than a month now. We've all pulled out shoes and jackets, backpacks and lunch boxes to head up the back to school march - but what about friends? After all, if you've got a yearbook nearby, it's undoubtedly full of "HAGS" (have a good summer) and "LYLAS" (love you like a sis) as well as the ever popular "KIT" (keep in touch). Some of those names and faces we remember as if it was yesterday - but some of them leave us scratching our heads. Who was that girl we vowed to never ever forget? What, exactly, happened in science class that left us rolling on the floor? What was the "incredibly funny" thing that Mr. Smith did in History?

We've all got those old friends who we remember from school - the boy you tutored through science class or the girl you ate lunch with every single day. If you are anything like me, you vowed, at the end of school, to keep in constant contact with, to never ever forget. Life has a funny way of happening, though, and soon enough, we have completely lost those "forever" friends.

Think of an old friend and how much he or she means to you. Do you still keep in contact with that person? If not, why? Facebook is a tremendous resource for that. I know that I personally have found several old schoolmates with whom I'd lost contact, and we've created a Facebook group to help us stay in touch. It's really amazing to see that the cheerleader isn't quite as slim and nubile as she once was, and that uber straight laced geek now sports a purple stripe in her hair.

If you know where those old friends are, take a minute to let them know you are thinking of them. Send a card, an email or a Facebook message and let them know how much they mean to you.

If you are still friends with that person, is that "years ago message" still valid? What would you say to them now?

©iStockphoto.com/Dean Mitchell

[LuvingRN]

There are a lot of friends that I have reunited with via FB and several personally. Its been amazing to see how much we still have in common.

[Bmat]

I still remember fondly some high school friends. When we see one another we say hello, but otherwise don't stay in touch.

[Bmat]

I did track down a lady I'd attended grad school with, and I called her about a month ago. It was great to talk with her.

[slw123]

 I am not friends with anyone that I was friends with from school.  That's not to say that I don't talk to them when I see them or whatever, but they aren't the people I hang out with in real life.  We just had our 20th class reunion.  It was really nice to see everyone and chat, but that was it.

[sukainah]

I didn't stay in touch with my best friend from High School, then I was so excited to find her on Facebook and reconnect hoping we could, at least, keep in touch more.  Ended up she "unfriended" me and I have no idea why.  I guess we have just drifted apart too much, yet it still hurt. :-(

[goddess99]

I still have a friend I met in 4th grade. We are 40 now. And still have a high school friend.

[mallowcup17]

i have a lot of friends that even before facebook i was able to keep up with. i have found a lot of college freinds are the ones that facebook has helped me reunite with :)

[Bob192]

I have a long lost friend from my childhood, that I lost touch with after I moved.  I would love to talk to her again to tell her "Thank you for being there."  I would like to know how she is doing now.

[lalasmama2007]

I'm not still close with any of my childhood friends. I'm friends with some of them on FB. But that's about it.

[countrygirlkat]

There were a few friends I thought I would never loose touch with when high school ended.  I do have them on facebook but we rarely talk and really don't know much about each other any more except for the basics.