Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. “Pooh!” he whispered. “Yes, Piglet?” “Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you.” – A.A. Milne

It can be easy to lose touch with friends and family. This is especially likely when they live in another state, or you don’t see them often. A commitment to a weekly Saturday phone call, emails back and forth with updates, or a simple instant message on google chat or Facebook can help make a big difference in keeping in touch with someone.

Maybe the person doesn’t like phone calls and you are too busy to talk for an hour. My mom sends emails regularly to people in her life with the subject line: “How’s my son?” or “How’s my brother?” which begins an email conversation that she can respond to when she has a few minutes.

Instant messaging is another great way. For example, at least once a week, my brother sends me a message on google chat. [I have my gmail set up so that as long as my computer is on, my chat is online, even if I’m not on gmail]. He sends me cute animal websites, stories about gluten free brands, the latest yahoo headline, or just writes to say what’s up? These short conversations may seem minor at the time, but they really help break the barrier that is created by living in different states. It links the posts on social media to real-life stories that are more personalized.

Take, for example, the day my nephew rolled over for the first time. I saw my sister-in-law’s post on instagram, and of course “liked” it, but so did 15 other people, who aren’t related to the baby. It lacked that joyful celebration that my nephew achieved a great developmental stage, together! Later that day my brother IM-ed me and we were able to talk about it some more, giving me a more personal connection, than the 15 other people. Direct, personal communication, is so important, and so often lacking in our society.

We have to make time for the people in our lives. Just knowing someone is thinking about you, can make a world of difference. Never underestimate the power of a, “Hey! What’s up?”

Hi there, old friend!
It’s been a long time.
I’ve missed you so much
it seems like a crime.

From what I hear
you’ve been great,
but we must catch up.
Give me a call, even if it’s late.

What ways do you stay in touch with friends and relatives you don’t see on a regular basis?