Lost & Found

For 22 years I looked off and on for something, that I discovered, was never truly lost. What happened, I do not understand.

Actually, it wasn’t a something. It was a someone. I found my friend.

There are a few good things that have come out of this pandemic. Life is slower. You have more down time to think and reflect. You spend more time with family. You cleaned house. You find things that were lost. Today I rejoice in finding Judy.

Judy and I were best friends from the 7th grade on up. Gosh, we had some fun times! A water fight…indoors. Getting stuck in windows…in daylight. Walking to a mom & pop store for frozen chocolate-covered bananas and Charleston Chews.

We’d even sneak out of our homes in the middle of the night and meet each other halfway. I’m guessing we lived about 2 miles apart. I can’t imagine doing that in today’s world. It was dark and scary. And getting hung up in a briar patch was painful. As was running into an old discarded pool in the pitch of night as we tried to avoid the roads as much as possible. Scars and bruises, stickers in our socks…ahhhh, treasured souvenirs of our successful mission. We were always together. We planned to one day take off for the southwest to camp at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. We even started making rugged pillow cases out of pieces of our old denim jeans. The talks we had were endless. The Steve Miller Band and Eagles were always playing in the background. We never tired of each other’s company.

When it was time for high school, we were separated because of where we each lived. She went to one campus and I went to the other. She wasn’t there long before her family moved to Tennessee. And then my family moved to Indiana at the beginning of our junior year.

Judy had to get married at the very young of 17. When I say she had to I mean because she was so in love with such a wonderful guy that she just had to get married. They were perfect for each other. I took a Grey Hound bus to Tennessee to be maid of honor in their wedding and they are still married today. That is quite a feat nowadays. She was matron of honor in mine a couple of years later. Judy and her husband had two children a few years later. I went on to have six.

Somehow we lost touch with each other around 1998. I’m not even going to speculate what happened, because honestly, I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense. All I know is that over the years I tried to find her. I knew she would never be on social media, but I tried anyway to find someone with the same last name and general location. I did the people search thing too. I came up with nothing.

A little over a month ago, I was out in the sun and I thought how cool it was that this was the same sun that she and I would tan under. I immediately got back on FaceBook and searched again. I found her new daughter-in-law. She was in a picture with a man I knew had to be Judy’s son. I sent her a private message and asked about Judy. She wrote back very excitedly and Judy and I are now in contact with each other and have spoken on the phone. She is still living in the same place as the last time we talked 22 years ago! How did this happen? I’m very confused. Maybe we will figure it out as we catch up on 22 years of life. But I’m certainly glad she is back.

Losing things is quite bothersome to me. I couldn’t find my keys the other day. It drove me nuts because I like to know where my things are. I don’t like misplacing anything, or anyone.

Sometimes I lose something but it’s right there in front of me, in my hand, or on my head. Or under a gorilla mask on a table. (My keys)

Sometimes I need help to find what I’m looking for. (My girls scatter to help me.)

Sometimes time and prayer is needed for the lost to be found.

Sadly, sometimes things (or people) are lost and will remain lost.

And then sometimes I feel I lost something when I really never had it to begin with. (My heart hurts.)

Never give up hope. Maybe patience is in order. I believe that everything happens for a reason although we do not always understand. I also believe that God’s timing is perfect if you have faith.

During our first phone call, Judy shared with me a dream she had the week before. She said she felt I was looking for her and there I was walking up her road.

Today, I hope you find something you have lost.

Be grateful for things found. Don’t give up on things lost. Timing might be everything. ♥️

Andi

Photos: Judy, mid ‘70’s; Judy in TN; Judy and me, mid ‘70’s; Judy and her guy, 1978, TN; my matron of honor, 1980; Judy and my dog Rufus, mid ‘70’s