How many people are there that you need to say something to? As we fall head first into the holiday season, it seems that our relationships with others often become magnified. We spend time with those we are close to and often continue to ignore those with which we have grown apart.
The lack of contact between old friends and family often creates an even greater divide. Whether we are hurt by the snubbing of others or just find it easier to ignore a relationship, the time that lapses between contact often creates an even greater divide between souls. Unfortunately, absence does not always make the heart grow fonder.
The problem is that we are here for a limited amount of time, and as we get older, more and more of us will be gone. Missed opportunities to reach out and touch those that we care about can turn into last chances in the blink of an eye. I also find that, as I grow older, I sometimes feel it less and less necessary to reach out and meet new people, or to keep in touch with those with whom I’m not in regular contact. This is exactly the opposite of how I should feel.
Actually, “necessary” is not the right word. It’s just easier to live in my old little world. Of course, easy is not always the best way to live. Failure to reach out to new relationships, in addition to the refusal to keep old relationships alive, is a sure fire way of ending up on the road to being alone. You might not end up there, but why take the chance?
Use this holiday season as an opportunity - even an excuse - to reach out to those you know and love. Don’t stop there. Reach out to those you have become estranged from and make contact. Don’t let the New Year start without repairing and rekindling relationships that have faltered. If nothing else, tell them you care and wish them well.
As you read this, you may be thinking that’s exactly what you do every year when you send out all those cards. That’s a great start, but how many people do you send cards to that you have, in reality, lost contact with?
While I speak in broad terms and seem to promote what could be an overwhelming project for an already busy holiday season, just think if you successfully renewed a friendship or repaired a relationship with ten people. An improved relationship with ten family members or friends, or even just one, could do wonders for the start of a new year. Who couldn’t use a little help from friends?
In the CHEAP SEATS, we can use all the help we can get!
Bill James is a co-founder of the James Law Firm with offices in Little Rock, Conway and Fayetteville, Arkansas. His primary area of practice is criminal defense. He can be contacted at Bill@JamesFirm.com