In today’s world of balancing so many things, working, raising a family and so much more we seem to never have time to pick up the phone, call a friend or write a letter or even a card and yet these little things can really touch a life and make a difference.
 
I too never have lots of extra time, I do send email cards, but do not write letters much anymore or send written notes or cards, I use to do it a lot, and also use to have a friend create special poems for my friends and I would send those to them as well. When they received the letters or poems they always told me how much they loved getting communications from me, and always thanked me for doing it, but somehow that all stopped as computers came in, we took on more responsibility, and it seemed so much easier to do e cards and emails.
 
So I want to share a story that this past week made me realize that what sometimes we don't think is important, is so important to someone else.
 
This past week I was taken back to just how important what we use to do is for the special people in our lives. I received a brown envelope in the mail and I thought it was an in kind donation letter and certificate, as I am chairing a Mardi Gras event for my local chamber that I sit on the board for. Much to my surprise when I opened it, I found a hand written letter from a daughter of a women I met in Virginia the first day of school for 7th grade of my son ED who was going to be attending Linton Hall Military Academy in Bristow, VA. In line also was this woman Kathleen Flood, her son Jordan and her daughter Lisa who like my daughter Lisa was very young at the time.  My son Ed is now 54 years old so you can see how long ago that was.
 
The handwritten letter was from Kathleen’s daughter Lisa , who is now grown up and married with a career, who told me that her mother had died on Sept 4th and  that she had been ill for a couple of years, died peacefully at home with her family all around her.
 
In the letter also she wrote:
 
“My mother wanted me to send back to you what I have enclosed (which were letters and poems I had sent her that dated back to 1975) she treasured them and wanted you to know that.”  I saw Kathleen three years ago when I stopped in VA and DC on my way to a NAFE event in New York, but had not seen or talked to her since. She told me then how much she loved the things I sent to her but I thought perhaps she was just being kind and never really truly realized just how much they meant to her. I am sure others in the world collect letters and cards and save them and treasure them as well.
 
When I called Lisa her daughter to offer my sympathy she told me also that her mother even in her final week took the time to address the envelope to me, I thought about that and thought, even in her pain she was thinking of me, wow that was something to really go within my soul and realize.
 
In the envelope as I said were letters and poems I had my friend Gail write specially for Kathleen over the years. Also their was a holiday poem my daughter Lisa wrote in 1975 who at the time was probably in junior high school, and signed both of our names to the poem in her handwriting, so it was so profound to also see my daughters handwriting there. One of the letters I read I talked about my granddaughter Heather being born. Heather is now 29 years old–so that letter was 29 years old. Reading through those letters was like going back in time in my life as many of the things I had also forgotten
 
After reading through all those letters and the note her daughter Lisa wrote me I decided I would make time in my busy schedule to contact those that have been in my life for years that I have not taken the time to call. The first one I called that very day was my friend Gail who lives in Buena Park, CA, and who I had not seen or talked to since my 75th Birthday. Gail and I have been friends since 7th grade in Hawaii I was 12 and she was 11 so that tells you how long we have known each other. She was thrilled to hear my voice and she invited me to come in November to spend the weekend with her and her husband.
 
Gail  said something also that is so true “Robbie even though we both get caught up in never seeming to have time to call or visit, the love we have as friends is always in our hearts and when we do talk its like we were never apart.” I am sure that is how many of us feel about our friends and family even though perhaps we have not been in contact for a long time.
 
What  this has taught me is that perhaps we need to take another step, and block time in our busy schedules to pick up the phone or drop a card and let that person know they are important, as you just never know what an impact that could make on a life.
 
So is there someone in your life that you have not talked to for awhile? If so pick up the phone and make that call today it just might make a difference.
 
Robbie Motter is a marketing/pr consultant, national speaker and the NAFE Western & Mid Atlantic Regional Coordinator her website is www.robbiemotter.com.