Note to Self

Frank is one of those list makers. You know the sort, they have lists created for the purpose of keeping up with all those "to do's" that seem to accumulate in all of our lives. He has lists that detail items he needs to get accomplished at the office, items he needs to get done at home, people he needs to call, or talk to, and even lists that keep up with lists.

Frank has read quite a few of the Getting Things Done books by David Allen, the consummate list maker. It occurred to Frank this morning though, that one list that is absent is the list of contacts that have been lost over the years. Frank was thinking about a friend he had made on a high school trip some 30 years ago. They had stayed in contact pretty well, getting reacquainted during the college years after she moved to Florida. But, contact was lost as they both began their careers. She, in medical technology, he in retail management.

She had returned to the Tennessee area with her husband in the early 90's, and had two children. Frank and she had re-established contact when he and Tammy had moved to Nashville in '95, and she had even provided childcare briefly for their oldest daughter, Allison.

But, as with many friendships, they had lost contact. The last Frank had heard, her family was doing fine, and by Frank's calculations, Michael, her oldest should be close to graduation, if not already.

With the advent of Facebook, Frank has managed to re-establish contact with several friends and acquaintances from high school and college. Some, he hadn't "talked" to for over 25 years. It was truly a wonderful thing to re-connect and relieve some of the "glory days" from days gone by. But, others, would enter Frank's memory banks and he would wonder, "whatever happened to him/her?" ... only to dart out of the mind again as Frank took on the issue of the moment.

This has especially been driven home as Frank and his sister have been working on their parents 50th anniversary party. Frank has taken on the task of trying to locate his Dad's best man, a gentleman by the name of William Jordan. Very little information as he and Dad were in the military together when Frank's mom and dad were married. The only tidbit Dad could provide, "he was from the New England area."

As you might imagine, there are a lot of William Jordan's in the world, on Facebook and elsewhere; so, essentially, Frank is going to come up short on this task.

But it got him thinking...what about his own best man from 20+ years ago? Even though they were cousins, he and Paul (the best man) had lost contact...careers, families, etc. had taken another friendship hostage. Almost like history repeating itself in a way.

So, note to self...write down those contacts that have been lost, and see if they can't be re-kindled; see if you can find those friends from days gone by. The longer you wait, the harder it will be.