Tuesday, November 11, 2008

I Was Lost But Now Am Found

You know the line, "A funny thing happened on the way to.....?" Well, yesterday a not really funny but a really nice thing happened when I was in Target. I was standing in one of the Christmas decoration aisles looking at things, when I heard someone say, "Judy?" It was spoken so softly I wasn't sure I had heard it. I turned and I saw a woman looking at me. I said, "Yes?" We looked at each other for a few moments and she said, "Do you recognize me?" I said, "No." She said, "It is Eleanor!" Even at that it took me a moment to let it sink in. When it did, I smiled and flew toward her and said, "Ohhhhh, Eleanor!" And, gave her a big hug with many exclamations of happiness and joy to see her!

I have known Eleanor since I was five years old. I haven't seen her for about eight years and between being lost in my own world yesterday and not expecting to see her in this context, I simply didn't recognize her. Do you know what I mean? When you see people out of context it just doesn't register.

We started to talk and then we talked some more and then we talked some more until I bet an hour and a half had gone by while we blocked the Christmas decorations aisle. I learned I had been lost to Eleanor and my other school friends for a number of years. She said my name has come up and they have been wondering where I was, if I was still around and shhhhhhhhhh probably even still alive.

The good news is I am all of those things....I am around and where I have been for twenty nine years, right here in Plymouth, and very much alive!

We exchanged email addresses, promised to get in contact with my other friends, and who knows where that will lead and what will happen next.

Do you know what one of the nicest things about the whole chance meeting was? I said to her, "How on earth did you recognize me? I was standing sideways in the aisle." She said, "It was your hands...something about the way you were holding your hands!" I loved hearing that....it was amazing to me. It was so personal. After all these years she recognized me by the way I was holding my hands.

It was so good to see you Eleanor. Thank you for finding me!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! What a great story! How nice for you - and Eleanor and the others. There is something very personal about her recognizing you for your hands... I think hands say a lot about a person.

Judy Roo said...

I knew you would understand Kara...I think hands say a lot about a person too..I have always loved hands..they are right up there with loving the sky..

Anonymous said...

Wow. What a blessing!