Are we really that busy???

One of my biggest “bitches” in life is how supposed “friends” can so easily lose touch – it always amazed me how “friends” can’t seem to be bothered to take a few moments out of their busy lives for a quick email or phone call. This is supposed to be the “information age” with so many means of communication within reach and at our fingertips… telephone, cell phone, email, even snail mail! Yet how often do we use these to make a sincere inquiry as to how our friends are doing. It has always frustrated me that generally I am always the one to reach out and make an effort to keep in touch with people, but after awhile, when seeing how one-sided it is, the effort slowly starts to die. Why bother? You start to feel that “if they don’t care enough to keep in touch, why should I?” That attitude, on top of a busy schedule, time slowly ticks away…

And then I had a wake-up call…

I happened to check out a blog of a friend that I haven’t had the opportunity to visit with in awhile, rationalizing in my head the usual BUSY excuse! I read an entry that momentarily sucked the life out of me. Her mother had a heart attack; she had to perform CPR on her own mother; momentarily revived, only to lose her in the ambulance ride on the way to the hospital. Tragic enough of a story right there. This happened 3 years ago next month – I found this out by reading her blog! I have known her for maybe 7 or 8 years. I had no idea she went through any of this? And she lives in the same city? We go to the same “church.” I call her a "friend." How can I have not noticed or heard about any of this! I am just so ashamed and in shock and awe.

I have readjusted my attitude, and I don’t care how busy I get – I am motivated again to start making the effort to keep in touch. Never again do I want to miss out on the opportunity to be there for a friend in need.

I hope all of you reading this will make an effort to do the same.

If you can spare the few seconds/minutes to peruse a blog – perhaps you could use that same amount of time to whip up on email, write out a card, or call up a friend? You never know when they may really be needing you and could be waiting for YOU to reach out to THEM.