While getting healthy is certainly on my to do list (it's been a long time coming, and I'm at the point now where it's really, really necessary) it's not at the top of my resolutions for 2013. As a Mom to two young kids, the last few years have seen me completely wrapped up in life as a parent. It's been wonderful, and wonderfully busy. When you have a 4 year old and a 1 year old, you're getting up at night with a crying baby, calming tantrums in the afternoon, and constantly on the go. It's been so easy for me to lose touch with some very important people -- my friends. I recently received a very upsetting phone call. A good friend of mine lost her Mom to cancer. Having been there myself (I lost my Dad to leukemia 3 years ago) it just completely broke my heart. I knew I had to be at that funeral to support my friend. So... I left my kids with my husband, and I went.
Being there was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It was so hard, but it truly opened my eyes. The message within the service was about taking care of those around you, and never losing sight of what matters most in your life on earth: The people who you love. I looked around the room and I saw so many of my close friends who I've grown up with... All in tears, all there to support somebody we care about. It hit me that I haven't been doing a great job of taking care of them. Aside from a few phone calls, Facebook messages and the occasional visit, I've hardly been in touch at all since my daughter was born. As one of the first people in my group of girlfriends to have kids, I've always felt like my life is so drastically different from theirs right now. And it is -- but that doesn't matter. When it really counts, they have ALWAYS been there for me. When I lost my Dad, they got together and sent flowers and well wishes, and they were all there during my Dad's funeral service to offer their support. When I lost my twin girls one year later, they were there too; getting meals together for my husband and I, and getting together to clean up my garden and plant lilac bushes in memory of my daughters. These friends whom I've known and loved for years deserve more from me. So this year, my New Years resolution is to take better care of my friends. Life is busy. I can't change that, but what I can do is make an effort to call more often, send small notes and gifts, drop in more often even if it's just for a quick coffee, and to make more of an effort to know what's going on in their lives and be there when they need me.
What are your New Years resolutions for 2013?
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I loved this post! We can get so caught up in the busyness of life eh? I try to make sure I keep in touch and even if its a 15 min coffee date, it's great to connect in person and catch up.
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