No clue who I would pick on this one. I think there are probably people in the lives of nearly everyone who have drifted off for one reason or another. Sometimes it's job transfers, family responsibilities, growth in a different area, or other very valid reasons to go in a different direction. I'm good with that and totally understand it.
I think about a few friends that I have where I'm the one making all of the contact. Are they truly my friends, or am I just being their friend? I don't know. I think about the saying that a "true" friend can pick up with someone after long periods of silence just as if there had been no silence, and I agree with that as well because I do it. But, I may be more selfish than that. When I contact my friends (either by email, phone, or instant message), I'd like to know they care enough to put out some effort to contact me back. I don't need long, drawn out messages but an occasional "hey - sorry I missed your call" or "hey - how are you all doing?" or "hey, thanks for the birthday card!" or "hey, thanks for paying my Internet bill for the past year; I appreciate it" would be nice... Doesnt' that sound just totally selfish of me to feel this way? I don't mean it in a selfish manner, but it would be nice to get a call back or an email back letting me know that something was received, etc. That's really only common courtesy for anyone to practice. Surely people aren't so busy that they don't have time to drop a short note - even a one-liner - to acknowledge something. I'm as busy and forgetful as the next person so there are times that I'm late with acknowledgements, but if I think I'm going to really forget (especially to call someone at a reasonable hour), I send myself a note.
Life sometimes get the way of the best laid plans, so I always try to take that into consideration. Besides, I'd really rather focus on the positives in a relationship - not the negatives.
3 comments:
I don't think that sounds selfish. At all - but some people are really busy. Then again you are one of the busiest people I know and you NEVER fail to get back to me. If anything the ones that don't say hey/thanks whatever back are the selfish ones. I don't know.
I guess people enter our lives for a reason and then leave when their done.... I have a lot of drifters - but then maybe I am a drifter too?
I agree with you that it would be nice to get some kind of acknowledgment of a gift received - an email, a phone call - it doesn't have to be a hand-written note!
As far as friendships go, I'm usually the one pushing for get togethers, but I'm the one who doesn't work so I guess that's why.
Post a Comment