I've been quite content with keeping the past behind me, because some things are just better left forgotten. More specifically, people that I know from the past. Old friends, ex-lovers, and sometimes relatives. We had our time together, and anything beyond trying to reconnect with those important people would seem to dilute why these people were important to me in the first place. And the last thing I want to do is live in the past.
About a year ago, I joined MySpace.com to help stay connected to friends and acquaintances, and perhaps meet new people. The first few months seemed innocent enough. I found some of my friends from real life and got to know them a little more. I also found new friends that I would have never met if I hadn't started a profile. Quite what I had expected, actually.
But then people from the past came out of the woodwork, in droves. It seemed like every week it was someone new, forming profiles and eventually hunting me down. Ex-girlfriends, former classmates, etc. Some important and influential to me, some that I had just forgotten about in the 5 years since I graduated high school.
First, there was my old best friend Weston, who was the only person that I kept in touch with. Then Kara, a girl I had dated for a few weeks my senior year, and subsequent friend until I moved to North Dakota. Timmy V, who became my delinquent other half until he quit the Lillingtons to go on a Mormon mission. Dirk, my high school arch-nemesis (ha!) turned pal. Then Maura, my two-time prom date and first real crush. In all, about 20 people from back home that I stopped talking to years ago. Some important to me, others that I didn't care to ever see again. But here we are now, all reacquainted once again. I'm not sure what the set up is, but I can't help but feel like I'm in for a disappointing, unfulfilling venture to the past.