It's written in the stars (by Karen)

Fate? Luck? Small world? What is it called when you've got only one night booked in one of the many little towns in the Blue Mountains, and you're shopping in Coles Supermarket and just happen to bump into an old best friend whom you last saw in Cape Town 8 years ago!

Well, whatever it's called it happened to me, and as I strode down the aisles looking for my shopping buddies someone called out my name. I turned and there was Richard, my close friend who had left SA 8 years ago to go work in Spain, and then 4 years later headed down to Oz.  We unfortunately were heading on over to Canberra pretty early the next day but managed to catch up for 2 hours over a coffee.

It was so special to reconnect with this friend from my past, a person who been a key part of my life and has always stayed in my thoughts and close to my heart.

I have a handful of friends who I would call "best friends" and many of them now live far away from me - America, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia. I find it really hard to cope with the distance between us. Luckily we have things like email and Skype, but for me it can't substitute for the physical times shared with a friend chatting and climbing and hanging out.

When I part with a friend like this it feels as though a part of my heart breaks, but then when I reconnect with them, like today with Richard, it feels like it heals again.  But then of course we have to say goodbye again :(