Old friends

Time it was, and what a time it was, it was 

A time of innocence, a time of confidences.

Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph 

Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you

We all have those special friends.  A childhood pal, the first friend at college, a graduate school buddy. For me, one of them is Uriel.   My madrich/group leader/RA from Tel Aviv university in 1984. When I first fell in love with israel.    He was the first friend I had from another country. A few years older, Uriel was assigned to help American students become absorbed in the culture of israel.   We became fast friends.  We shared holidays and vacations,  meals and friends.  Once, while travelling, we shared the international herald tribune. "lets see what's happening at home" I said...   That week In Uruguay there was a revolution to overthrow the government...In America they were taste testing new coke vs old coke....He laughed. I cried. 

For almost the past 30 years We've been through a lot together. Grad school, relationships, children.  We've had lots of laughs and yes, lots of tears but the connection remains.  Its not constant.  It can be somewhat infrequent. But no matter what, its a deep connection that spans the miles and the years. In many ways,  He is still my madrich, helping to show me the way. He reminds me that I am a human being first. And tomorrow as I watch his youngest son read from the Torah in Miami, I know that the circle continues.  The circle deepens.   Once in a while you come across a friend that you can hug so deeply and tightly and always feel 21 again, with the wind blowing through some really dark hair.