Preserving Relationships
As our country becomes more technologically advanced, more wired and more fast-paced, our interactions with other become relegated to the back burner at the mercy of a free moment to send a text message or email. I am in no way innocent of this, despite my discomfort with the current social zeitgeist. I am rather grateful to have a few friends for whom I am very thankful but I rarely ever see them face-to-face. My best friend lives about an hour away and I have not seen her in over five month. Now is that a result of our inability to coordinate our schedules, or perhaps a lack of interest? That is possible but I can confidently say that we have become so accustomed to spending our quality time on the telephone that it has become our primary mode of interaction. Instead of face-to-face visits, we become antsy when our telephone calls go unreturned. Although I can have a complete life in my house, not leaving for anything except food (and even that can be delivered), I yearn for the laughter, and just mere splendor of having another human being around me. Talking to myself and sometimes not talking at all for hours has become my modus operandi. The questions that cloud my mind are: is this way of life emotionally and psychologically healthy for anyone, and Is there a way to remain grounded in this quickly changing world where personal interaction is seemingly no longer valued?
Here are a few suggestions that I am trying to implement:
1. Make an effort to go visit my friends if only for one hour when I know they’ll be available (during the times that we connect on the phone would probably be optimal).
1a. Surprise visits (if they won’t mind or won’t be otherwise occupied).
2. Celebrate meaningful events with others instead of alone.
2a. Make an effort to celebrate the birthdays, promotions, graduations and Easters with your friends and family, or someone else’s friends and family.
3. Have a standing dinner/dessert/wine/coffee date with your friend or friends and catch up during these times.
3a. Plan a girlfriend weekend once or twice a year giving you all a time to catch up and enjoy being amongst people who love you unconditionally and can celebrate you.
4. Spend time volunteering. This presents opportunities to meet other people, provides interactions with others and takes you outside of your own world. This could also be something that you could do with your friends to deepen your relationship bonds.
5. Consider the value of your relationships and see if they are worth preserving, if not, keep trekking. If they are worth it, tell your friends and loved ones how you feel about them and how they impact your life. You might never get another chance.
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