Old Friends

There are some things that are generally off limits in my blog, either by request or by some innate and surprising sense of tact and appropriateness. My mum, although offering potentially a minefield of material, my dad, once again plenty of fodder, it's just I never will, my former relationship and of course The Husband. I think my Sister would like to think she's off limits, but frankly she's dreaming. Someone who squashes their little sister under a blanket while tickling her until her claustrophic phobia is well and truly entrenched, and who tells a 13 year old that there is a prowler around the house one night when their parents are out, so that the 13 year old WETS HER PANTS, absolutely deserves some form of retribution. Right?

But I'm going to touch on one now, albeit, gently.

My last relationship (ok, marriage for all you pedantic-facts-need-to-be-100%-accurate lot) ended rockily, unhappily, and very dramatically. And along with the end of a marriage, it's not just the wedding gifts you need to divide, it's also locations (ie where you can be and they can't etc), memories (actually know they go into a great storage unit in your memory bank with noone to share them with) and friends. In my situation, one of my friends managed a beautiful arrangement where she could stay friends with both of us. (although I know if she had to rescue both of us from a burning building, it would be me first).

I'm not proud of the fact, but I was so strung out on survival and was mortified about my situation that I didn't work at friendships that I really really cherished. I put them in the "they're his friends' camp and moved on. But there was one friend in particular I always grieved for and missed and regretted not sucking up my pride and making an approach.

So love it or hate it, Facebook has much it can offer, especially in this situation where you know a name but not much else about how to get in touch. Last night, finally in a fit of courage and before I could lose my nerve, I sent out a friend request, with a humble kind of "I completely understand if you ignore this" type of message. And amazingly, this morning there was a response and an acceptance as a "Friend".

Tentative baby steps. I have much work to do now.