The Unintentional Eavesdropper

Growing up, my family was on a telephone party line with one of our neighbors. It was tempting to pick up the phone receiver quietly enough to not be found out and then to listen in on a conversation that wasn’t intended for my ears. I don’t really recall doing that because we had enough respect and love for that neighbor not to do such a thing. Still, listening in on a conversation not meant for your consumption is tantalizing.

Confession time. Recently, I found myself eavesdropping. Please understand I didn’t do this on purpose. I just happened to be somewhere where I needed to be while at that very moment a conversation went on near me. By chance, I was an eyewitness to two old friends who had not seen each other in a long time just happening to run into one another.

In this mostly public setting these two friends caught up on the details of the other’s life. Five minutes in a day at the start of a week spent tightening the connections that extend through the years between these two people. There was some talk about health concerns. There was some talk about family matters. There was some talk about professional issues. Although I know both of these people I did not fully understand most of what was said as my friendship with them doesn’t span as much time and effort as they have invested in their friendship.

What I could understand was the smiles on two faces, the laughter of two voices, the interest revealed in four eyes and the knitted layers of intangibles, both simple and complex, that allow a friendship to bridge across things such as time and absence. Even though technically I was eavesdropping, I couldn’t help but feel encouraged by being a spectator to this whole encounter. It is too easy today to get caught up in how effortless it is to get and stay connected electronically with people we know that sometimes it all feels somewhat detached and mechanical. And due to some limitations, such as distance, keeping in touch through a text, email or social networking is a surefire way to keep friendships alive. Still, nothing beats the feeling when you experience a friendship where eyes sparkle on first sight, where a handshake or hug happens without thought, where the sound of a voice not heard in awhile is as comfortable and relaxing as your favorite easy chair, where the memories flood in like an overflowing river and where two people pick things up right where they left them the last time they were together.

Good thing great friendships work the way they do...overcoming various obstacles such as time and distance...and even an occasional unintentional eavesdropper.