The Present

“Patience, persistence, and perseverance. A little more each day, a little better each day.”

Jonathan Lockwood Huie 

A dear friend made her way back to New jersey this weekend to celebrate her mom's 90th birthday.

She sent me 3 pictures yesterday.

Mom looks great!

Her sons are grown men.

And she said of her own picture "damn we're getting old!".

It got me to thinking.

Next month will be our anniversary.

We met as freshmen in college 50 years ago this September.

50 years!

Hell yeah we got older....it's 50 freakin' years!

50 years of friendship.

That's a long time.

True , there were a couple of decades where we didn't keep in touch.

That was unacceptable to me.

About 15 years ago, I reached out and restoked that friendship.

It was the best gift I could ever have given myself.

Since then we have seen each other a few times.

We speak every once in a while.

We reach out via text, messenger and on Facebook.

The bottom line is we still share in each other's lives.

I was scrolling through my "friends" on Facebook the other day.

I remarked to Susan "I have a lot of dead friends!".

It made me a little sad.

It also made me think.

Saying good bye is not always a possibility.

Life is funny that way.

Saying hello however is always a choice.

Just pick up the phone!

Send a text.

Write a letter.

Send an email.

Make plans for lunch.

Just drop in....announced or not!

I have truly fond memories of each time I have made that phone call, that visit, that outreach.

I remember each and every hello, much more than any good bye.

I look forward to hello.

I cherish them.

I am pretty certain that the feeling is mutual with those I reach out to.

Reaching out.

There is no time like the present.

And there is no better present than that!

Shavua Tov!