Thursday, March 26, 2015

Make Contact

Stay Current

We need to stay current with each other.”
Angeles Arrien

My friend, Suzan, stopped by the other day. She didn't know I had been sick and was pretty ticked off when she found out. “Why didn't you let me know,” she asked, hands on hips, “I could at least have made you some soup!” Truth is, it never occurred to me to let people know beyond those who called in the midst of it. Some of us do not have it programmed into our genetic code to ask for help when we need it. Call it ignorance, or blindness, or obliviousness—whatever it is, it makes us less likely to have the support we need when we need it.

We, who are introverted by nature, can become quite isolated if we are not diligent in maintaining relationships. What feels “normal” to us is decidedly not when it comes to staying current with one another. For instance, two of my neighbors died last year, and I knew nothing about it until someone else informed me. It's not that we don't care; it is simply that we are disconnected from the outside world in a way that extroverts are not. We can get into our own little head-space and forget to come out.

Staying current with one another becomes more important when we live alone or work from home. It's a good idea to develop a network of contacts who check on each other daily. That way, when one is sick or needs help, someone who cares will have their back. That's the way family works, and if we don't have it by nature, we must create it by nurture.

                                                            In the Spirit,


                                                                 Jane

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