Long-Lost Friends, Reunited

I love stories of missed connections, provided they turn out okay in the end. Like in Serendipity (you know that John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale movie right?) and Sleepless in Seattle. There was one such a story in yesterday’s New York Times, a really lovely tale of long-lost friends and  a 25-year overdue postcard. A real what-is-really-going-on-in-the-universe kind of coincidence. Though I’m not sure coincidence is even the right word.

(A special thanks to reader Leigh who passed the article along. I always love it when people send me interesting friendship articles or research via email or Twitter or Facebook!)

The story is worth reading, but here are the Cliffs Notes: A 34-year-old woman, Joanna, finds an old postcard in her mailbox, but quickly realizes it is not addressed to her but to a Caroline who shares her same last name and once lived in her apartment. Eventually she helps reunite the writer of the postcard and the intended recipient, who had lost touch in the 25 years since the postcard was sent. Now the once-BFFs are going to meet again and Joanna, the uniter, may travel across the country to meet them too.

The postcard, written from Rose to Caroline just after Caroline had gone through a breakup, read: “My dear friend, the thought of you inspired me to write. How are you getting along? The countryside is looking a lot like spring. The hillsides have a soft blanket of green grass, dotted with yellow and white flowers — beautiful. I guess I am just a simple girl at heart. What have you been doing for yourself? Have you met any interesting people? Life is a romantic adventure, remember, romance is everywhere! Love you.”

{Side note: How amazing is that postcard? I love me some email but to receive a note like that from a friend, in my mailbox no less, would be amazing. And unheard of. “I guess I am just a simple girl at heart.” I like this Rose lady.}

Twenty-five years later, Joanna returned home to this postcard at a time when she was also going through a breakup and contemplating moving from New York to California. As she told the New York Times: “I was inspired by these words and thought: ‘What is the meaning of all of this?’ Was it a coincidence? A sign to leave New York City? Who were Rose and Caroline? Why have the three of us been brought together like this?”

And now the old friends are reconnected thanks to a lost postcard that survived a quarter century, a New York City resident, and some people at The Times.

Sigh. It’s kinda dreamy, right?

Anyone else have similar stories of reconnections or fated friend meetings?