The Lifetimers

People have often made fun of my Facebook addiction. I'll admit- sometimes I do spend too much time on there playing games and following friends' exploits. But what a wonderful tool for reconnection it has become for me.
Just recently, I received a friend request from a dear college friend that I hadn't heard from in a decade. I'd been trying to find him since discovering Facebook, but none of our mutual friends were in contact with him anymore. Benji was my little brother in our fraternity/sorority world and also one of my closest confidants. I could talk to him about anything, and he'd listen and offer an unbiased (read honest!) opinion when I needed it. He made me laugh at myself and others. I could always count on him, and for a while, we were inseparable. However, life took control after college ended and we lost touch.
So, low & behold when I got that friend request, I couldn't hit accept fast enough! And you know what- no matter how many years have passed and all that has transpired in each of our lives, we have picked up right where we left off. He still listens and lets me ramble while being a voice of reason when I need it. We've caught each other up on the details of our lives and are moving forward as older, wiser friends.
I'm often reminded of the "Reason, Season, Lifetime" poem when I reflect upon the people that have come & gone from my life. Sometimes, you think someone was a just Season because you've lost touch and time has passed. Then you get the opportunity to reconnect and realize that person is one of the Lifetimers- and always will be. And that's all I need to know when it comes to a friend.