We all have those family friends – the ones we used to see all the time as kids, but rarely see now that we’re in college. Whether you’re all the way across the country or just a couple towns over, it’s hard to stay in touch. You can’t just tag along with your parents or meet them for dinner at 6 p.m. on a weeknight. Trust me, I get it because if not staying in touch was a crime, my family would say I’m suspect number one. But recently, I’ve come to realize just how important staying in touch is.
My family has gone through quite a bit of loss in the past couple of weeks and in the process that is remembering a loved one, I’ve gotten to see some of those very important people who I’ve lost touch with since coming to college. I was greeted with the typical “It’s only been four years” and “So the only time I see you nowadays is when someone dies?” As they always have, these comments made me a bit annoyed. A little bit because it unrealistic for everyone to expect they’ll see me as much as they did when I was a kid. But moreso because they were calling me out on my shit, and I knew it. I had the time to call my godparents before my morning classes and I certainly had the time to meet my aunt for lunch on a Sunday. Yet like many of us, I rarely found myself making that effort.
Realizing this as a consequence of losing a loved one was not ideal. But it did force me to recognize that the people you love will not be on this earth forever. The effort of making a call or scheduling a lunch is so miniscule compared to the regret you may feel if you don’t. So just do it- if not for yourself, for your family. Because I promise you, it means a whole lot to them.
Today, I made a call to my godparents ( I couldn’t tell you the last time I called them just to check in) The calls lasted maybe two minutes each, but they both ended with “This call just made my day”. And knowing I made them happy made me happy. I’ve promised myself to make time to check in with them, and other family members, on a regular basis. Life is unpredictable and it is true there are some things you can’t control, but your relationships are ones you can. So make that effort- after all, it’s the little efforts that mean the most<3