Some people are wonderful about staying in touch, and that is how friendships and families flourish. Absence rarely makes the heart grow fonder; rather after an extended period of silence, many of us start to wonder – have we offended so-and-so in some way? Were we never that close? Have they found other people to befriend?
Think of the last time someone paid you a compliment of friendship – a random act of kindness, an unexpected phone call, a declaration of love – wasn’t it wonderful?
Taking the time (and possibly the risk) of telling someone that they mean something to you is always worth it.
Far too many of us lose significant people to illness, accidents or just natural causes without having the opportunity to tell them what they mean to us. It is terribly hard to put our feelings in to words.
I have a wonderful friend, with whom I’ve lost touch, but last week I heard through mutual friends that he is sadly losing a battle with cancer, and that he only has a couple of weeks left. He and his family have been a huge part of mine for four decades, so I took a deep breath and decided that I wouldn’t save my kind words for a funeral, nor would I hide behind ‘sending my best wishes’ through a third party.
I wrote him a thank you card; for all the happy memories I have had that he has been a part of. I hope that a couple of the anecdotes make him smile and recall the happy times too. I hope he gains comfort from knowing the positive impact he has had on someone from his past.
It is never too late to thank someone, or bury the hatchet on old grievances, until they are gone. It takes bravery and guts, and I wrote my card in floods of tears, but I have no regrets.
Christmas is a time to get in touch, but staying in touch can become a very constructive habit. If someone pops into your head, text them, call them, email them or send them a letter. You never know how much they will appreciate it!