My Long Lost Friends...

You know the feeling you get when you reconnect with someone after a long time?  The moment you begin to spot them, your heart starts to race as you debate whether or not you are actually seeing the person you think you are?  You struggle to think in your mind when was the last time you saw them and what you did?  You remember what they used to look like and you compare what they look like now.  If they look good, you think, "Wow, they haven't changed at all!"  However, if they look differently you think, "What happened?"  However, in the back of your mind, you think, "I wonder if I look different too?"  Then you try to reassure yourself that you look better even if that may not be the case.

When you finally confirm that it is them and now you have to think about what to say? Do you use the traditional anticlimactic line, "Wow, it's been a while.  How have you been?"  Or do you try to spice it up by using a past reference and/or an inside joke?  You finally decide your approach and you now need to wait to see how it is going to be received.  You get over the awkward silence and catch up on however long it has been.  You have the best of intentions as you leave to keep in better touch.  But, really will you?  Only time will tell.  In order to keep up with someone who you have been distant with for a while, it requires extra effort and you need to realize if it is all really worth it.  Do you like where your life is right now or would involving this person make it more (insert adjective)?

So although I have been in this situation a ton of times, I ventured into a similar circumstance the other day while cleaning out my closet.  As I started to get to the back on the closet, I saw a silhouette of a familiar shape.  As I got closer, I began to uncover a pair of laces and saw the colors of blue and back and smelled that familiar new smell.  I thought, "Could it be?"  As I went back to grab this object, I confirmed what I thought, "My new running shoes."  

Now before I left LA, I took these babies for a stroll only once.  As you may recall, I was battling some feet issues so I was forced to go on a running hiatus for a bit.  I had intended to take the shoes on my cross country trip, but at the last minute, there wasn't enough room and they went on the moving truck.  The rest, is well, history.  I had no idea until about a month ago that they even made it.  However, when I found them, I must have quickly relocated them to the back of my closet as I wasn't ready yet to make a daily commitment to them.  When I saw them this time around, I was really excited and felt ready to make them part of my life. However, I am not sure if the feeling was mutual.  They seemed to not recognize me and looked perfectly content socializing with the other shoes.  As I pulled them out and took them for a stroll last week, they quickly remembered how fun it is to get out.

They have become so popular now that they are sitting right by the door every day waiting for me to lace them up.  Today was a particularly special time in our relationship because as we were running today, we did 4 miles in well under 40 minutes (at a 9:40 pace), which is a tremendous improvement for me.  Will this relationship be a lasting one?  Only time will tell.  However, if they keep helping me to get a 9:40 pace, I guarantee that we will be spending a lot more time together.