By 
There is no big secret to building a fantastic support system of family and friends. But, if you were going to point to the most important ingredient in the recipe, it would have to be reminding the people around us how important they are to us and how much we love them.
Get-Togethers
For many people, childhood memories can be built around times when the whole family was together, and instead of just mom and dad, brother and sister, we got to spend time with our favorite aunt and uncle or our loving cousins (and it really was sometimes easier to like them more than our annoying siblings, right?). We often think back to shooting off fireworks in the backyard on the 4th of July or heading off to the Christmas Eve service at church with the biggest smile on our faces.
Or maybe it was a family reunion at the lake where you and cousin Bobby used to race to see who could swim faster out to the floating deck in the middle. Whatever the case might be, those days will be remembered with increasing fondness as we grow older.
Tangible Reminders
How many of us jump on the computer and head out to buy greeting cards online whenever a holiday approaches? Think about all the birthdays, Christmases, Father’s Days, and Valentine’s Days that were made so much brighter because someone put in a little thought.
Many of us like to delude ourselves into thinking that we could write sonnets and poems as well as Shakespeare or Keats ever did. But when it comes right down to it, the people who write those cards for a living do a much better job of expressing how we feel, as much as it could wound our pride to admit that.
We tuck them away in scrapbooks or old shoe boxes, and then perhaps on a night when we have seen every rerun on TV, we’ll curl up under a blanket with some hot cocoa and reminisce. We might even find an old photograph falling out of one of those greeting cards from our senior prom or just hanging out with our BFF from days gone by.
I Just Called…
The more… mature… among us remember a time when our phones had to be plugged into the wall more than just charging up the battery. The only way to get a voice on the other end was to grab something that was hardwired and push physical buttons or {gasp!} turn a dial.
The invention of the cell phone has connected us in ways that very few people in those days could have imagined. So, the next time a loved one crosses your mind, pick up the phone and give them a call.
Heart-To-Heart, If Not Face-To-Face
The pandemic of 2020 taught the world the importance of staying connected with one another. “Lockdown” and “social distancing” became a part of our everyday language. The importance of family and friends to human happiness became very evident. Zoom and Skype gave us the ability to see each other whether we were working, playing, or simply chitchatting.
When it comes right down to it, we are social creatures, and staying connected to one another is extremely important, as are shared recollections of good times. Whether it’s a text message or a picture shared on our phones, or even a greeting card we bought online, there is always a way to remind those we love how we feel.
Returning to the idea of Shakespeare and Keats and all the other wordsmiths throughout history, they often give us insight that we may not have found a way to put into our own words. “Think of your family today and every day thereafter, don’t let the busy world of today keep you from showing how much you love and appreciate your family.” – Josiah, King of Judah (born c. 648 BC — died 609 BC).
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