Priceless

During my last San Francisco, California getaway, I was able to meet friends who crossed my path at different times in my life.

On a BART trip from the city to the East Bay, I met a former classmate from graduate school in the late 1990's. Her family has recently settled in Oakland after years of living in the east coast. She is currently in law school where her husband teaches at the same university. Among others, she shared with me stories about their seven-year old daughter.

It was really good to see my friend again in person after several years. We have always kept in touch despite the physical absence and distance. Time collapsed when we embraced each other in greeting, and expanded promisingly when we hugged for our farewell. It sounded like her family's stay in the Bay Area is for a much longer term. She and I are now in the same time zone and state.

On a separate day, cold and rainy in contrast to the hot and sunny weather while I was in the East Bay, a MUNI M-line transit ride from downtown to the San Francisco State University station stop led me to meet a former high school classmate. We crossed the street together and walked to her home. There, I met her daughter, who was just over two months old, and her mother-in-law. She was still on maternity leave while her husband was away at work in Fremont.

My friend found me on Facebook about a year and a half ago where a re-acquaintance began. It has been over twenty years since our high school days back in the Philippines. She took me to lunch for a birthday treat then to a coffee shop for hot chocolate where we continued sharing stories and happenings. Before we knew it, it was time to wrap-up. I was very grateful for her generosity in spending time with me away from her baby. Eventually, her maternal longings had become noticeable as she looked forward to reuniting with her first-born and giving her mother-in-law some relief from babysitting. She and I said our goodbyes with a renewed bond that will be aided by Facebook updates, photos, and messages.

These were two separate meetings where I rekindled the gift of friendship and connection. They were pricelessly affirming and gratifying.