Old friends

Occasionally the planets align, a spark of inspiration twinkles in your mind just long enough, and a memory or two prods you into looking up an old friend. Making the connection isn't always what you expect, especially if the parting was strained, forced or just plain painful. Sometimes it's rewarding, even fulfilling. Sometimes it's extremely painful as memories come back and you remember the friendship for what it was. Sometimes, not enough could be said and if you did, it wouldn't be appropriate anyway. Too much time gone by, too little context in between. What makes it all the more difficult is that, at least for me anyway, my emotional memory seems ageless and enduring.

Has that ever happened to you? What do you say? What do you do?

"Great talking to you but, it's too painful. Goodbye."

There's a Rush song called "Time Stand Still." I never listened to the words from that song when it was popular. Now that I'm older and listen more closely, the lyrics seem to capture the way I feel about life. So much good is happening that I want time to stand still a little while so I can soak it all up just a little bit longer. Kids growning up, old friends getting older. I sometimes just want to hold on to them a little longer and maybe even go back in time and change a few things...


I turn my back to the wind
To catch my breath
Before I start off again.
Driven on without a moment to spend
To pass an evening with a drink and a friend

I let my skin get too thin
I'd like to pause
No matter what I pretend
Like some pilgrim
Who learns to transcend
Learns to live as if each step was the end

(Time stand still)
I'm not looking back
But I want to look around me now

(Time stand still)
See more of the people and the places that surround me now
Time Stands still

Freeze this moment a little bit longer
Make each sensation a little bit stronger
Experience slips away
Experience slips away

Time Stands still

I turn my face to the sun
I Close my eyes
Let my defences down
All those wounds that I can't get unwound

I let my past go too fast
No time to pause
If I could slow it all down
Like some captain, whose ship runs aground
I can wait until the tide comes around

(Time stand still)
I'm not looking back
But I want to look around me now

(Time stand still)
See more of the people and the places that surround me now
Freeze this moment a little bit longer
Make each sensation a little bit stronger
Make each impression, a little bit stronger
Freeze this motion a little bit longer

The innocence slips away
The innocence slips away...

Time stands still
Time stands still

I'm not looking back
But I want to look around me now
See more of the people and the places that surround me now

Time stands still

Summer's going fast, nights growing colder
Children growing up, old friends growing older
Freeze this moment a little bit longer
Make each sensation a little bit stronger

Experience slips away
Experience slips away...

The innocence slips away.