Whether you’ve had no luck in love or have won and lost it, you may be interested in reconnecting with your childhood sweetheart. There are a number of ways you can do this and like any relationship, it will take time to develop. If you want to give it a try, here is how to reconnect with your childhood sweetheart.

Use Social Media

Social media is an excellent way to not only find someone from your past but to reconnect with them as well. You don’t need an address or a phone number to find someone. All you need is to see if you can use the search function to find them. You can typically send messages to people you are not already friends with, so do this to reintroduce yourself and start catching up. It’s good form to send a message before or accompanying a friend request. If you need help ask your grandkids to set up a Facebook account or to search for your long lost sweetheart.

Meeting in Person

If your childhood sweetheart still lives nearby or in your hometown, you may be able to simply call them from the phone book. A reverse address public search can also help you find where someone lives. If you know them well enough, you could just stop by their house to say hi.  If you are wondering if they still live in their childhood home this search will be of assistance. You can even start sending an old-fashioned letter or card. In cases where you aren’t having good luck finding them, consider asking around—ask people who knew your childhood sweetheart and might know where their life took them. Remember to always respect someone’s privacy and only try and contact them through publicly available means. Suggest you go out for drinks, to dinner or to an event to catch up.

Remember Key Relationship Advice

At the core of every successful romantic relationship are trust, respect, good communication, and understanding. Consider their interests, likes, and dislikes. Be honest and communicate openly, especially when it comes to your expectations for the relationship. Hopefully, they will be interested in rekindling their relationship with you, but if they aren’t, respect that. Just because you knew them perfectly decades ago doesn’t mean they’re the same person. Go in with a blank slate and hope for the best. Even if unavailable, you may be able to reconnect a new friendship. If there’s a spark, then you’re on your way to a new relationship. Just like any other couple.

Accept that They’ve Likely Changed

People often romanticize someone from their past, looking back through a filter of nostalgia. There’s nothing wrong with this, but you need to expect that your childhood sweetheart has changed, grown up and lived their life. They may not like some of the things they used to anymore and be changed as a result of their life experiences. Embrace these changes and get to know them all over again.

Reconnecting with a past love can be an exhilarating, enjoyable experience. Even if the relationship does not become a romantic one, you can still have a good friend for life. It’s worth a try.