Slipping Through Your Fingers  

no, because i am happily married and while this has happened to me, you have no idea what the other person is like!
but once i ran into a guy, and we knew we knew each other - re recognized each other, but we didn't know from where...we just kinda stared at each other...

I've been in a few of those situations, where I've met someone and spoken to them briefly. In the past there have been a few I have wished I had given thought to a relationship with.

Since right now I'm already in a relationship, I haven't thought of the recent ones as possibilities in that way, but there are people I have wished I had become friends with.

In my case what stops me is my paranoia. I do not give out contact information easily. I don't hand my number to people in bars, or at the supermarket, or wherever. I've come to way too much harm in my life to feel comfortable getting to know people... it takes me a while to feel anywhere near comfortable enough to exchange information of any type. So it's a little hard to create a friendship out of a random conversation if you don't feel safe even giving someone info.

The best friendship I had that started from one of these situations that I can think of was a girl I kept meeting at this same beach. The first time we talked for a minute or two. The second time, ten minutes. The third time, almost an hour. Come to think of it, we never did get around to exchanging information, but we hung out on that beach together occasionally for over a year.

Fate does work in mysterious ways, but you have to push it, lol. Things don't just happen, they happen because one person or the other pursues the opportunity. I think a missed connections ad would be cute. But then you don't know if the person will read that paper or website or whatever. I think it's best to strike up a conversation when you're in the moment. You don't have to be aggressive about it, just friendly. You never know!

Yes, my dear, I've had that happen many times.

One time specifically comes to mind. I was driving a taxi in my youth and met a man named Steve Lancaster. He ran a pawn shop somewhere in California. Keep in mind this was 15+ years ago! I can't believe that I still remember his name after all this time.

I toted this man around Reno for two evenings and remember this completely INTENSE sense of excitement when my dispatcher would radio me to let me know where to go to pick him up.

He was tall and slim with this lovely thick dark hair and he dressed so well and smelled wonderful. I remember just being completely infatuated with this man for two days. He left me his business card, which I kept for several years.

I remember, even now, with a little catch in my throat, the sense of dread and disappointment that I felt when we parted the night before he left.

I felt such a sense of possibilities when I was near him. He was incredibly attractive and kind and I wanted to literally follow this man around like a puppy dog, hanging on his every expression and every word like my life depended on it. That he called ME repeatedly just intensified that a hundred fold.

He lived so far away, in Southern California. I never saw him again after that weekend so long ago, yet I can still recall with a catch in my breath that sensation that I experienced when I was near him.

I don't know what twist of fate brought he and I so close for such a short time, but I have no doubt that something larger than either of us was behind it. I often think that maybe that was one of the things in my life that kept my sense of romance and hope alive for so long.

Truthfully, wolfie, it's been a long time since I've met anyone like that, but, yes, I think I would at least give them some sign of encouragement. I would hate to miss out on an opportunity to get to know someone who could add some measure of joy to my life.

Oh sweetie..... I wouldn't worry about missed connections.... I what is meant to be will be.... and if the connection was missed.... then it was probably meant to be..... if you're meant to connect with that person.... something else will happen... to cause a connection... so don't give it another thought.... what will be will be...
xoxoxo

IF I were to meet someone in a store or the mall & I thought 'this is the one' then I would be very forward & ask them out to a coffee or something!! IF I thought 'maybe' then I wouldn't be so forward,LOL IF I met them on the internet then I would be leary, as too many wierd stories out there about the internet!!Happy Holidays XXXXLori

I think there are really instances where you feel you are already close to someone who met only for the first time. I have experienced this a few times already. When faced with the situation, I just let be...if there is a conversation between us, the better. :) I guess, that the rule "don't talk to strangers" only apply when the stranger seem to be hostile and you don't feel comfortable with them. But for meeting someone you are instantly comfortable with, that's another story. :)

To be honest honey I don't think I would but having said that when I was younger and single I ALWAYS took those chances - yes I was very forward! lol Even now , although I am rarely out of the house I do try to makew the most of every chance meeting and strike up conversations and appear approachable - as you say that person may be your new friend (I already have my partner!) lol Make the most of every chance sweety - that is what I say! xxx

If I really think about it this is how I met my husband. I never knew he even existed or that my friend at the time was writing to him while he was in prison. Anyway I was only 17 at the time but I was one month away from being 18 and I was walking around town with a few friends and my friend, Jess was riding by and stopped to ask if I wanted to go somewhere with her. I said sure and jumped in the car. Here I was off to meet my future husband and didn't even know it! We went up the hill and pulled in the driveway and Jess said to me, "There is this guy I have been writing to in prison and he just got out and I wanted you to meet him. I was like, "OK" I didn't even know she was writing to a guy in prison! I don't know why she kept that from me but it doesn't matter now. Anyway we went in and this was the first time she was meeting him too in person. He was 29 years old and I remember when I saw him I thought, "This is the one" I just had this strong feeling that I should pursue this further. So we were sitting there drinking, yes I was a bad teen age girl who drank a lot and I smoked pot too. I'm not proud of it but that's the past and that's over with. Anyway we all had fun that night and when it was time for me to go home, I had a strict curfew because I was getting into too much trouble, at 10PM that night Jess was giving me a ride home which was just down the hill and up the road a little ways. I was drunk and going home drunk and didn't care. But Jess had a boyfriend at the time and when we got in the car she said to me, "I like him." I looked at her and said, "He's mine! Keep your hands off!" You see, my so-called friend had a reputation for sleeping around and it didn't matter that she already had a boyfriend and they were together for a long time. She even married the guy a few years later!

So anyway the next day I went back to his house, I started walking but got stopped by a male friend who offered me a ride because the hill my future husband lived on was really steep and I smoked (Still do) and he knew I would have a hard time walking up that long hill. I would have done it anyway if I had to. So I went back and some of my friends were already there. It was quickly becoming the new party place. After all of my friends left I stayed by myself and we were sitting on the couch talking and he asked me to be his girlfriend. I was so happy that night. Ever since then we have been together, almost 10 years and we have been married for 3 and a half. We get along so well and we love each other very much. I really do think fate brought us together that night. You see he saved my life just like I saved his because the reason he was in prison was because he was a crack addict and when he got out of prison he was getting ready to go back to his hometown and get back into it but meeting me kept him in my town where he was staying with his father. He told me that if he never met me he would have gone back to his town and got right back into drugs and probably would be dead right now or back in prison. Now he doesn't do drugs and he even quit drinking. Me on the other hand, he got me off of the pot and even though I did continue to drink a few years later I finally did quit. I think if it wasn't for meeting him that night I probably would have went on to stronger drugs like Cocaine or Heroin. So he saved my life and I saved his. We were meant to meet that night and be together for the rest of our lives. Our love for each other is so strong nothing has been able to tear us apart. Believe me, his dad tried many times to break us up because he was jeolous that his son was happy and he wasn't. He was an awful man until he died 4 years ago.

Sorry so long but I feel that if I would have missed this connection I wouldn't be where I am today and as happy as I am today. :)