The more time I spend with my mom and dad lately, the more this quote resonates with me. It also really hit home when I was spending time with my grandmother when she was in her senior community. However, where it really hits home the most is when there is someone that we want or need to make contact with and delay for one reason or another, only to wind up with that person gone. It is then too late for us to make the connection that we wish we had made.

We all have busy lives that keep us from doing the things that we want or need to do. However, our lives should never get so busy that we fail to keep in contact and acknowledge the ones that we love. Every day on the news we hear of individuals who were met with untimely circumstances that ended their life way before their time. There was no way anyone could have seen it coming and suddenly all the things you wish you could have said become impossible. That often leaves individuals with a sense of regret that no one wants to deal with.

Ensuring interactions with your loved ones and people that you care about becomes especially important when they are dealing with debilitating diseases or conditions such as Alzheimer’s or Dementia. It is very easy to convince ourselves that it doesn’t matter that we don’t visit because they “aren’t there anymore anyway”. We justify it by telling ourselves that they won’t know we are there and question what the purpose is. In reality, we don’t know what they know. While physically or verbally they may not be able to say to us what they want to say, all you have to do is to look deep into their eyes to know that the person you always knew is still there somewhere.

I have written about this subject before and it seems to always be a good reminder. I inevitably hear from someone that it prompts them to make an outreach to a person that they had been meaning to contact. Sometimes, it encourages individuals to mend a broken relationship that was once important to them just in the nick of time. Other times it just reminds people of the importance of remembering those close to us and to cherish them while we can.

I always say that friends, family and loved ones are on loan to us for this lifetime. They were put into our lives for a reason. They help teach us life lessons. They mold and shape us into who we are. They are what makes our life beautiful, exciting and complete. If you have someone that you have been meaning to reach out to, make that outreach today. Both you and they will smile because you did.

Have a great day and remember to be the reason someone smiles today.

Ron

P.S. Thanks Debbie for letting me steal this from your post 🙂