Re-Connect

I had the great pleasure yeterday of re-connecting with somone I hadn't spoken to in over 37 years! It was my high school algebra/trigonometry teacher. Mr. Werley (now Skip) was also our class sponser, and he coached the boys varsity basketball team. The last time we connected was back when I had a rotary phone (what's that?) on my kitchen wall, and probably 15 years before I owned my first microwave! I was a senior in high school!

Several months ago, a HS buddy I've kept in touch with asked if I'd ever had Skip as a math teacher...yes! My buddy mentioned that Skip, now 68 years old and retired, had been sending out a daily email to many friends and acquaitances called Thought for the Day. Skip enjoys keeping in touch with many people whose lives crossed his during his 40 year public school teaching career, so I emailed him and asked to be included on his mailing list. He wrote a very gracious return email, and I was very surprised to learn that he actually remembered who I was. I've been receiving his daily email ever since.

We had a great time of reminiscing about people and events we both remembered. We joked a little about how much the world has changed over the years. Though I didn't really recognize his voice at first, the more we talked, the more familiar it became. We spent over an hour in a very comfortable and enjoyable conversation.

Two things struck me as we talked. First, I was keenly aware of the many technological changes that had taken place over 37 years. Nothing stays the same, and the advancements will continue now at a breakneck pace. That's partly what's behind my decision to blog and to begin using Twitter. While I might only have a partial picture of how useful these technologies can be, as I imerse myself in them and discover more about how they change the way people interact, I expect my use of them to change from recreational to "must-have" technologies.

The second thing that struck me was how nice it can be to re-connect with people you've known over the years. Skip and I had only a teacher/student relationship back in 1971. I didn't know him well, but he was a fine teacher, and I remember liking and respecting him a lot. Now, both adults, we have re-connected, and I am enriched because of it. Technology allows us to stay connected in so many different ways. We have no excuse. If a re-connect doesn't really click, there's no harm done. When it does, like it did for me this week, it's an incredibly enriching experience.