Sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of life, we forget the importance of reaching out to our loved ones. We sometimes view connecting with our families and friends as a chore or just another thing we “have to do.” We dread the idea of getting on the phone with long-winded relatives, especially when the conversations drag on and take us away from the other things we intend to do. Yet these small moments will be the ones we cherish years down the road when these family members are no longer with us.
We guilt ourselves for not reaching out for so long that the distance makes us put it off again until a tremendous amount of time has passed, and the idea dissipates. We catch ourselves in a vicious cycle of wanting to reach out, putting it off, feeling guilty and ashamed, and convincing ourselves to call, and then forgetting to follow through.
Cell phones, social media, text, and email makes what could be a taxing effort significantly easier, but for the older folks in our lives who may not be as technologically savvy, handwritten notes or phone calls are treasures.
The reality is, we need to stop coming up with every excuse in the book not to write, email, or call.
Whatever pressing matter you feel is holding you back from calling a loved one will have no relevance when you wish you had more quality time with them. Nothing guarantees a tomorrow, so invest more time in those who helped to instill your roots and your value, rather than those you may see every day. You won’t regret putting mundane tasks to the side to spend a few minutes intimately connecting with a loved one.
There will eventually come a time when you can’t reach out and make up for lost time.
Do yourself a favor, and make a point to reach out to those loved ones you haven’t spoken to in a while. Making an effort will benefit everyone involved. You will share these bonds with your family and friends forever and always. We need to not look at reaching out to our loved ones as a chore, but rather as a gift, because they will not be with us forever.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
