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Sunday 1 December 2013

Let’s keep in touch

How many times have we said to people “Hey let’s go out sometime” or “We must keep in touch”, but never really do? Life always seems to get in the way and we all get caught up with our daily activities. We watch long-time friends become acquaintances and relationships slowly fade into distant memories. With the advent of the new technological age and instant messaging, keeping in touch should be much easier than before, our relationships should be richer and more in tune. Yet somehow, our friendships still manage to gather dust.  Technology has left us sitting behind a screen, watching the world move around us without actually participating in its events

Life is busy
Having spent the last 8 out of 10 weeks as a recluse, working all day and studying all night, it irked me every time I had to decline a friend’s invitation for a catch-up session. Starting a new job and choosing to take on an extra part-time study load took its toll on my social life. My life was out of balance and something needed to change.  I made it a point to let friends know that I’ll be free after a certain date and then actually follow-up and say hey sorry about the last time but let’s get together this weekend.  The best of my mates have been a patient and understanding lot!

If you’ve ever played The Sims you know very well that a friendship, no matter how intimate, will wither away and break under the weight of neglect. Ever had an awkward encounter in a shopping mall with someone you used to be close with? Let’s stop that.

I’ve started making lists of all the people I need to see in the coming weeks. Like a sculptor chipping away at a block of marble, I intend on returning many relationships to their masterpiece status.
I have a good friend who drops me a message every couple of months to see how I’m doing. The one day I thanked her for the gesture and she replied with, “Life gets busy, the least one can do is send a message to check up – gotta keep friendships alive.”
I immediately added that to my list of goals for 2014. Keeping friendships alive.

Trimming the excess fat
 Sometimes, no matter how much of an effort you put in, some relationships still deteriorate. Like any business man would tell you, that investment has no returns and may need to be written off as a liability. By no means is this a permanent decision. Sometimes we’re able to breath new life into relationships. You have to weigh your relationships; decide who adds value and which ones have become dead weight and manage them accordingly.

The next time someone crosses your mind, drop them a message. We always ‘intend’ on doing many things but lack the follow through.
“What one does is what counts. Not what one had the intention of doing.”
― Pablo Picasso

If you’re reading this and wondering why I haven’t visited you yet, don’t worry. Just get my coffee ready, I’m on my way!