Who Are You Going to Call?

May 6, 2013|Ida's Blog

It’s the first blog of the month again, and if you’ve been followin’, you know the drill. For those of you who don’t, my book, Finding Your Inner Moose, has twelve chapters, and I’ve decided to dedicate the first blog of every month this year to a chapter. Not too shabby, huh? My intention is to choose a little change or two from that chapter I can incorporate into my life, hoping it becomes a habit.

We’re on chapter five, “Tending the Roots,” which is about friends and family. I don’t know about you, but when I think about living the good life, I imagine myself surrounded by family and friends. They’re what keeps me grounded, or “centered,” as my niece Caitlin would say. They get my jokes, and love me even when I’m cranky and outta sorts. They make me laugh, encourage me to try new things, and tease me when I stubbornly don’t want to. And when the chips are down, I know they’ll be there for me. If life is a tree, family and friends are the roots. I know I have to tend those roots in order for my tree to flourish.

Now, I don’t want you gettin’ hung up on the word family here. I’m referring to whatever family means to you. It could be the family that you’re born into, the family you married into, or the family you choose. Heck, maybe it’s you and your pet goldfish. It don’t matter. Havin’ family gives you a sense of belonging in this world, and no matter how far afield you go, you carry that feeling of home with you.

Yet, I don’t have to tell you, we can get so busy in our everyday life that we lose touch with the very people that matter most to us. Who was the first person that popped into your head when you read that? Write down their name. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

If you can’t make a call right this minute, (and I know you can’t, ‘cause you’re reading this!) jot down a note to remind yourself. Then, put it in your calendar. Or if they live close enough, send ‘em an email and start the ball rollin’ to schedule a time to get together, in person. Keep at it. We’re all busy, and comin’ up with a date that works for everyone can seem harder than achieving than peace in the Middle East, but hang in there.

Nowadays, with facebook, texting and the like, it’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking that we’re keeping up with folks. Call me old fashioned, but there’s a world of difference between “liking” your friend’s photo of her trip to Bermuda, and hearing her talk about it first hand, the two of you crackin’ up as she shares her stories of sunburns and pina coladas and that cute bartender at the cabana.

And you know what? I’m gonna do it, too. I’m going to call Carol Johnson. I saw her at our high school reunion a couple of years ago, and we had a great time catchin’ up. I forgot how much of a kick I used to get out of her. She lives in California now, but I ran into her mom at the A&P, and she said Carol’s coming home for a visit this summer, staying a couple of weeks. I’m gonna see if we can’t get together for lunch while she’s here. Maybe go up to the lake for the afternoon. Wouldn’t that be dandy?