Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Mmmm, I get high with a little help from my friends

Mmmm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

What would you think if I sang out of tune

would you stand up and walk out on me

lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song

and I'll try not to sing out of key

-The Beatles, With a Little Help from my Friends

Thirty Days of Thanksgiving, Day #9 - I am thankful for old friends.

In the past few weeks, I've been lucky enough to reconnect with several folks that were close to me at earlier points in my life. A dear college friend came by while she was in town to show her beau some Wolfpack Football (Happy birthday, KLH!). A Colorado colleague that I greatly admire met me for lunch on her swing through the Raleigh area. A random email gave me a chance to talk with my high school sweetheart.

All three are people I've gone years without seeing. We all know that friendships grow and change, and that is okay. We lose touch with people who were at one point integral pieces of our day to day lives. But it's wonderful to see them again. To see where their paths have taken them. To see that they're still the same people even as our appearances change. In all three cases, the conversation flowed easily and I was reminded why I liked them so much.

Facebook and social networking have fundamentally changed the way old friends keep up with one another. I'm aware of old friends' life changes - I see when they have babies, get married, move to new places. But even better than just knowing what they're up to, it's pretty cool to talk to old friends face to face.