I'm Thinking of You, Thinking of Me

The other day I was talking with my friend about the moments in life when someone or some event randomly rushes into my thoughts. At such moments I can almost feel the intensity of the moment or person. I guess I was thinking about it because I have such experiences regularly. I will be walking somewhere or talking to someone and I will be caught away in nostalgia of times long gone. I asked my friend whether she ever thinks about the people who may recall her in their everyday memory. I figure that if there are people and places that come to me then I must appear in some thoughts somewhere. I like that idea, not because I am vain enough to believe that people need to think about me, but because it means that we all continue to revel in the goodness of what has been. Sure there are some not-so-pleasant memories, but I believe I reflect more often on the memories that bring that distinct smile to face: a subtle smile that no one else can understand and is often hard to explain.

I am writing about this because I just ran into an ex-boyfriend of mine. I guess you can't help but feel nostalgic as you become drenched in such memories that accompany past love. He told me that he was walking to the theater last week with his brother and he walked past the restaurant we ate at on our first date. We had walked to that same restaurant, and he couldn't help but think of that evening so many years ago. I laughed because I think of it every time I pass it. We both paused and absorbed the memory, sharing it equally between us in the coolness of this fall day. We reminisced about the good old days and how long it feels since they were fresh to us.

I was glad that I live on in his memory because he always will in mine. I somehow enjoy the knowledge that we carry bits of others with us. I believe it was Tennyson who said we are a part of all we have met. As Jaron and I parted ways, it was sweet and comforting to realize that our souls will always return to such moments ... moments when we can with time and distance look back and smile at where we have been and how that has made us who we are.