I was browsing my Friendster a little earlier when I stumble upon someone's name. Maybe 'stumble' is not the right word because she was the one who messaged me first. And guess whose name was it.

Rachel. Rachel Carrido.

Do you know who she is? Well, she was an old school and church friend of mine more than five years ago. When we went out of that first church, they attended with us on this second church where so many unforgettable times had happened to us. After we got out of that second church, I never heard of/from them again. I heard rumors that they changed church, too. But that was all.

I never heard from her - until now.

It was funny because the first time we exchanged messages at Friendster, I didn't have any idea who she was. On the second time around, I asked her like, "Who is this, please? Rachel Carrido or who?" I thought she was just some Rachel in the world.

It turned out that she really was RACHEL CARRIDO!

I nearly bursted crying. I held myself, of course. I didn't want to go emotional in a moment like that. So I asked her a bunch of questions.

Just then, I decided that maybe she has a Yahoo! Messenger. So I took the email address she gave on a message she sent and added her to my friends' list. She was ON -line.

We spent that little moment talking, asking questions, laughing like crazy - or should I say, typing.

I was certainly happy -- and still am. I'm happy because somehow I got ahold of an old friend I've never met in like ages. Well, there's one more thing, though.

This is not the first I mention it, I think, but once again in my life I realized that there's no need to sulk in a corner having pity-party with myself. There are other people who are more deeply hurt and weeping inside.

Like Liberty. I never thought a small thing as practicing together some songs with the rest of the young people in church could make her happy. You see, it seems like millions of times now that I see her being dragged by small kids here and there. She was always with little children. Worse is, everybody thought it's perfectly fine with her. She never makes conspicuous her resentment - I say it so because I somehow notice a bit of annoyance on her. In some ways, it got to me that she, too, longs for the fellowship of other young people near her age. It's quite saddening to me since this is the first time it fully occured into my consciousness that we both almost have the same feelings.

I feel sympathy for her. So that's why we planned a simple surprise for her. We'll probably do it next Sunday.