About 10 years ago, I met a little guy named Jacob. He was 18 months old; I was 18. I had just started to put myself through college and had moved out of my parents' house into an apartment with my friend Chris. In order to pay for my living expenses the first couple of years, I worked at a daycare center close to school, so I could travel from classes to work pretty easily. Jacob moved into my "classroom" shortly after I started, and we bonded quickly.

He was the sweetest little boy with big brown eyes, a mischievous smile, and a bouncy spring in his every step. I liked all the kids, but he found a special place in my heart with the huge grin and big hug he greeted me with each day. At first, Jake was a boy of few words, but once he started talking, it was pretty much in full sentences from the get go. I got to know his incredibly nice parents, as they liked to check in about what was happening at the center and report on the things he'd say about me at home. It was clear that I adored him, and he was very attached to me. At one point, they asked if I would be up for babysitting him sometimes, because I was the one person, outside of family, they thought he'd be completely happy to stay with when they went out. I agreed, because I enjoyed spending time with him so much.

The last time I babysat for Jake he was about four. He was in that charming (ha-ha) questioning phase, wanting to know every last detail about anything that crossed his path. I remember snuggling up on the couch to watch his favorite movie at the time, Independence Day. He had already seen it lots, but that didn't stop him from turning to peer up at me every few minutes, with an inquisitive expression on his little face, to ask questions like, "Why did the aliens do that, Megan? Why?" I love that memory.

After that, I moved to Seattle to start work and school, and Jacob's parents started talking about moving into a bigger house. Our lives became busy, and except for a one time exchange of Christmas cards, we lost touch and our friendship trickled away. Since then, I've often wondered about how he is doing and felt a bit regretful not to know him anymore. I was lucky to have such a great kid in my life. Within the past couple of years, I even tried looking up his parents online, thinking I'd send them a card or something to check in. I didn't find anything, but I hoped that they still lived in the area and that one day I'd be fortunate enough to run into them.

Last night was Phase Two of my intense, last minute Christmas shopping program. I headed over to Bell Square to look for the things I couldn't find at the mall here the day before. Tired and grouchy after a couple of hours of walking around, I went in to the Discovery Channel store to look for gifts for the little ones I know. While I was staring stupidly at a display of toys, a man approached and asked if I was Megan. It took me a moment or two to realize that it was Jacob's father out shopping for his son. I was thrilled!

He told me how happy he was to see me again and how much Jake loved his first babysitter. I said I still thought of Jacob often and missed him. I asked how they are doing, and he reported that while they were great, his wife had died suddenly and unexpectedly when Jake was five. She was a wonderful woman and mother, and I felt overwhelming grief for their loss. Also, I was sad that something so terrible had happened so shortly after I lost touch with them, and I wasn't there for Jake. Six years later they have adjusted, but this was news to me, and it was difficult to process in our few minutes talking.

In these moments, I learned that Jacob is still a happy and healthy kid. He's in middle school now and just got his first report card with lots of A's. He likes to play basketball. His dad is really proud, and when I asked, he dug out Jacob's school ID card from his wallet so I could see a picture. He is a big kid now and looks very different than the little boy I knew, but his features are the perfect combination of both his parents. We laughed over how they used to try to get Jacob to quit calling me Big Megan. There was a little Megan in his class, so it made sense that he'd think of me that way, but they worried I would be offended by the title. It never occurred to me to mind. His dad introduced me to the nice woman he's seeing. He assured me that Jacob did remember me and would be so pleased to hear that we had run into each other.

I am infinitely grateful for this meeting and my glimpse into Jacob's world again. I feel so blessed and joyful finally knowing he is out there happily living his life. It's just what I needed for closure. And, I can't help but recognize and give thanks that I received exactly what I've asked for these past years. Sometimes, amid my impatience, restlessness, and ideas about time and how I think things should happen, I forget that rarely do my requests (to God, the universe, whatever you want to call it) go unanswered. The answer may not arrive in the way I think it will or at the time I feel it should, but it always gets here perfect in its own way. It's an amazing gift.