I Knew Her Long Before We Shared That First Hug

In Creating Happiness, Recent Posts by Barbara Jacoby

BM featureEvery once in awhile we are fortunate enough to meet someone who changes our life forever. We don’t know when that will happen or who it will be. Such is the case for someone with whom I connected on Facebook more than 5 years ago. At that time, our initial attraction was that we are both chocoholics and shoe fanatics but what we have learned about each other and shared over the years showed me a person with a heart bigger than the State of Texas where she lives and a soul that seems to me to be truly touched by the angels. Therefore, when I was given the opportunity to meet her in person, I must say that I was way more than elated.

Every once in awhile we are fortunate enough to meet someone who changes our life forever.

Today I met Mandi. We have been planning this get together for more than 3 months and I will say that there were times that I thought this day would never come. The anticipation for the trip to Texas has been growing ever since Mandi and her husband were able to secure tickets for a football game that I wanted to give to my husband, Kirk, as a birthday present. It was at that time that Mandi and I decided to meet in person since she was willing to make the 3-hour, one-way trip to get together in the city where I was staying.

I could never anticipate how much our meeting has meant to me. As I saw her walking toward the restaurant where we had scheduled to meet, I felt that I was about to meet a long-lost relative that I had always known about but was never able to see in person. I “knew” Mandi long before we shared that first hug. This was no stranger that I was meeting for the first time. This was a person who had touched me in so many ways in the past with whom I had a very special connection. She knew me and I knew her as though we had been life-long friends.

We sat down to share a meal with Kirk and my sister, Donna, with whom we were visiting. It was so comfortable and conversation was so easy. I was so happy that we were all sharing but it also seemed so surreal at the same time. I never wanted it to end and the couple hours that we had together just flew by. I knew that this may have been our first meeting in person but I sure knew that it would never be the last.

When we finished, Mandi and I slowly strolled to her car. I told her how grateful I was to have had the opportunity for us to meet in person and how special she is to me. I told her how overwhelmed I was feeling about the connection that we have that could never be put into words. I told her I couldn’t believe that our time together had passed so quickly but it was so much more that I could ever have hoped for.

Mandi created a memory, a special day that I will never forget. By sharing herself with us, we all knew that our connection was not just for the moment . And interestingly enough, today is what would have been my brother’s birthday if he had not died from cancer some 5 1/2 years ago. I must say that I have a sneaking suspicion that he was with us and just happened to remind me about his birthday so that I would know of his hand in this get-together. I am sure that he knew that he could give me no greater gift on his birthday than the gift of bringing Mandi and I together. For that we are both grateful.