Embracing Those Around Us.

I’ve been spending the last few weeks since Christmas catching up on things. You know the usual putting away holiday décor, “prespring” cleaning, and getting things back into a routine. One of the major things I didn't notice that had been left untended was catching up with friends. I thought as though I had seen, visited, sent letters and even gifted during the holiday season enough to hold everybody over for a while. Looking back at all of my efforts to place a sugar coating over my lack of presence in friends lives; I came to the conclusion that overkill once a year doesn't maintain the “ship”. I have spent the past two or three days that I had off visiting either by phone or in person with close friends, good neighbors and family. Still have a long way to go but starting to feel better about these relationships that I cherish. My apologies to those of you, who have not seen me in months, trust that I have not forgotten you even though my apparent efforts have seemed as such. I am still working on getting in touch with many special people. I have written before about maintaining bridges that take you nowhere. How sometimes it is good to let the bridge meet its maker and move on. Dear friends are not one of those things you can allow this to happen with. I am admittedly shorter on time than I have been in the past few years but I have also resigned myself to being a better friend. I suppose this means writing a letter once in a while, sending an email or “gasp” a text or message. I know the last few methods don’t really win me an A+ on the friendship charts; but hopefully they allow me a way of saying, “I still care about you and value our relationship”. I have always been one to host a lunch or dinner and actually sit face to face with friends. This has been a hard few months to do this but I am working on it. Anybody who knows me well is aware that I am a “type A” chatty patty. I wasn’t always this way. I was actually very quiet and shy as a child but starting noticing that the type A’s seemed to have way more fun and a lot more support in life. I don’t know if this is true but I’ll stick with my conclusion on this one (haha). I enjoy hosting a party, I love making my friends and family feel welcome. I am a giver and a nurturer and am happiest when I am hands on with a project for someone. I grew up with parents that seldom hosted or went anywhere if there was a single obstacle. I have had to overcome that way of thinking. However when things get hectic I tend to fall back to my roots. I have resigned myself today to get back to enjoying life; to reaching out. How much better would all of our lives be if we got some sort of “I really care about you” during the week? So even if you get a text from me know I am working my way back up to lunches and evening get together. We are the sum of those we surround ourselves with. If we have nobody to share our lives with, to me it makes for a dull existence. Besides a smile on a friends face or a hug is always worth even the smallest gesture of kindness isn't it? Not to make be a gloomy person I always think about the Christmas many years ago. I was in a huge rush to get in and out of a store. I was running late and was tired. I saw a friend of mine who frequently stopped in for a visit in the afternoon. I valued her friendship but didn’t have time to stop and talk this day (yes, I know sometimes you just can’t). I didn’t have a “real” reason just that I was in one of those moods of “no obstacles”, she was always long winded. A week later I found out my friend had taken ill and passed away. I am still saddened and ashamed that I was in my heart to selfish to stop for maybe 5-10min. to talk. All too often in life we don’t get second chances. This was one of those times. After that I always try to make the time to say hi, give a hug or at best ask, “When can we reschedule this I would love to see you!” So while crumbling bridges are not really anybody’s “thing” if the bridge is still working put some effort into it. You will never know how rich the payoff may be. Blessed are those with many friends for they have wealth beyond measure. “Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some have unknowingly entertained angels” ~Hebrews 13:1-2 Embrace friendships both old and new you never know where they may take you. Copyright Micheline Edwards 2013