There’s an empty journal, here, with my grandfather’s name stamped on the cover. I didn’t know Johnny Madeiro as well as I would have liked, but I think he’d enjoy what I’m doing with his journal: repurposing it, restyling it as a sketchbook, in honor of the man who came before me and still lives on in my memory today.
In about two hours, now, one of the strongest women I know will face the most difficult challenge of her life. This past week has been quiet, but important — a chance to reconnect with one of the women who helped make me, in a sense, and an opportunity to remind myself of how quickly we can forget those who came before us.
If you have the opportunity today, call a family member. I’ve tried to phrase that as plainly as possible. The last thing I want to do is come across like I’m preaching, but the first thing I want to do is be as honest as possible: we forget. I do, at least, and the events of the last week have painted that clearer than ever before.
I’d like to change that.
Call it a consequence of the age of communication, then, that change can be boiled down to just a few bullet points:
1. Make a phone call.
2. Send an email or letter.
3. Stop running like mad just long enough to remember — to think.
Call it a sign of the times, too, that we tend to forget.
Let’s change that.
26 Comments »
I'm a writer, minimalist, and health dork with three goals in mind: to teach you how to lose weight, move more, and be happier by living a simple, natural life. It works. Like what you read here? Get 3NL delivered straight to your inbox!
Matt, my deepest condolences to you and your family
I really appreciate it, Lezly.
No need for the sad face just yet, so fingers crossed things stay promising!
Beautiful, thank you for the reminder.
Happy to help. Thanks, Andrea!
Great article. I hope all works out for the best.
Me too! Thanks, Kevin.
Sending all my love to you and your family. Great reminder. So simple and straight to the point
Thanks, Adriana. I appreciate it.
all my well wishes to you and your family…thank you for the reminder.
Thanks so much, Karin.
Best of luck to you all! I’m sending you all the healing energy I can come up with! Hang in there.
Thanks so much, Anna! Things have been on the upswing recently, so fingers crossed that doesn’t change.
So, so guilty here. Feel like you’re talking to me with the ‘stop running like mad’ part! Thanks for the reminder, and for igniting a call to change even amid your own difficult situation. I admire that! Wishing you the best.
Ok, calling my parents
I bet they enjoyed the call.
Thanks, Tessa!
What a modern contradiction… While we are constantly connected, often to perfect strangers half way around the world, we forget those that are dear to our heart! With you in thought at this difficult time.
Thank you, Marie! I feel like that’s another post in itself: how we’re better-connected than ever before, yet the simple act of communication seems to have lost something vital in the process.
Hmm.
Love it. ^_^ This couldn’t be more important. I know I’m very guilty of thinking ‘next week’ or month or whenever.. I also know the pain of realizing that the next whenever came far too late…
I wish your family the best and I also send my love (and I’ll keep my fingers crossed).
Thanks so much, Chandra.
Hope everyone is doing as best as can be expected and relishing that bittersweet moment of remembering what a huge influence a loved one had in your life.
Bittersweet it is, my friend.
This is a lovely post. I have been reading around your blog for ages now – find it quite inspiring so thought I would actually leave a sign that I had been here!
Thank you so much, Penny.
I’m glad you enjoy the blog, and I’m glad you decided to leave a sign!
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