karina, karina

while yesterday's post focused on largely on someone i have known for a very long time, and know well, today's post focuses on someone who is a virtual stranger. except not.

a couple of years ago, almost two, to be exact, i went to utah to visit family and some friends i had made online. while there, i was at a social function , and found myself in the kitchen talking to a girl i had never met before. her name was heather, and she had spent time in the dc area. we had many mutual friends, and even beyond that, there was an instant connection between us.

there are moments. they are few and far between, but they happen. moments when the eternal wheels click into place and start to turn. in these moments, there is a recognition that defies logic. and it is always mutual. you know, and they know, that you have each met someone who is going to change your life, simply by being a part of it. it's not that they will alter your path or your destiny in obvious ways, necessarily, but a divine purpose will be served. in these moments, coincidence becomes obsolete.

meeting heather in the kitchen at a stranger's house was one of those moments. however, the most fascinating thing about that moment, is that it generated another such moment with another person. prior to that experience, i have never felt such a strong connection with two different people in such a limited time frame (only minutes apart!).

it was through heather that i met karina. karina and i sat down on a couch, and didn't leave it for the remainder of the night. as we related our life stories to one another, there were enummerable parallels and an uncommon understanding. she and i both knew we had found a wonderful new friend in eachother.

since that meeting two years ago, our communication has been sporadic at best. life is life, and it is easy to lose sight of what is important. for months, karina and i have tried to actually have a phone conversation, but our timing has been incredibly bad. last night, we were finally able to connect, and it was if not one day had passed since last we spoke. as we recounted our experiences over the last year, we could have each told the other's story. though the timing had been different, our experiences bear shocking similarities.

our conversation lasted for hours, and reminded me of that special connection. that feeling of knowing someone without knowing them has happened to me a grand total of 7 times. each time, it was powerful--hence the reason i can so clearly recall the frequency. 3 of those people are 3 of my best friends and have been for years. 3 of them are still virtual strangers, who i would do anything for. only one of them have i dated, but since most of them are girls, that is probably for the best;)

at any rate, i am thrilled to have karina back in the forefront of my thoughts. and in fact, i may have even convinced her to move to london with deb and i! now THAT would be something!

i'm also thrilled that i will have a chance to reconnect with heather when i'm in utah in march (which ironically, will be our exact 2 year anniversary date of meeting), and assuming i do ever make it to london, i plan to spend a lot of time with louise--whether she likes it or not:)

all this to say, i am grateful for the people in my life. the friends and family who know me well and still put up with me, and the relative strangers who's brief appearances in my life, leave indelible impressions.