The Downside of Aging and Staying on Facebook: Losing Old Friends
Getting older sucks
I’m a proud Air Force brat. I went through a brief stage where I resented all the traveling. I also outgrew the resentment of my dad’s deployments away from the family.
It was hard to keep in touch and have long-lasting relationships when I was a teenager. For years, I thought about the few classmates I liked. I wondered how they were doing. I also hoped they had better lives than I did when I graduated.
Facebook is good for something
When I joined Facebook, I found a group for people who graduated from Yokota Air Force base in the seventies. I was able to connect with old friends and make new ones.
When I was a freshman in Japan I played on the Junior Varsity football team. I was a third-string lineman, and I sucked. Me and Kevin met on the team. We got to know each other a little better in the smoking area.
A happy guy and a good friend
We didn’t party together, that’s not true, we did, but not very often. As adults, we did talk on Facebook sometimes. I always thought Kevin was a good guy. I found out right before the Landlord evicted me from my trailer that he also thought a lot of me.
When I was struggling to stay in my trailer I posted updates on Facebook. I don’t know why my problems compelled me to update people on my failure, but I did.
He messaged me out of the blue
One day, I received a private message from Kevin. He wanted my phone number. When he called we only talked for a few minutes. He told me he was going to wire some money to me.
The last thing he said to me was, “ Lawson, whatever we do, it’s between us. Things happened so fast, that I never cashed the money gram. I hadn’t seen Kevin since we graduated in 1978.
I had planned on making the short trip to see him, but I never did
When I moved to South Carolina I had plans to go see him where he lived in North Carolina with his family. Life and lack of a car and finances got in my way.
On June third of last year someone posted on Facebook that Kevin had passed away from cancer. I had wanted to see Kevin and rebuild our friendship for years. I had planned on doing it as soon as I had a car again, but it was too late.
Don’t put it off, take every opportunity to see old friends and family.
All I want to say is to keep friendships alive. Never miss a chance to reconnect. Love your friends and family because once they’re gone it’s too late. Kevin was a good guy when I knew him in high school and I know he was a fine man.
I wish I could have seen him and thanked him in person for trying to help me. It’s too late, always too late.
Final Thought:
Friendship is a wonderful thing. Don’t take relationships for granted. Make that phone call and pay a visit.