It’s just the little things that get in the way

I was just thinking about her yesterday, wondering how she was and thinking maybe I could call her and chat a bit.  No, it wasn’t yesterday, but it wasn’t long ago.  No no, well at least it wasn’t that long ago.  Hmmm maybe it was a few weeks ago.  And I really intended to call.

But then Kaity got the flu….and then Doug got the flu….and then Kaity got the flu again.  And then I had all these term papers to grade and end-of-term group projects to write up.  And then I had to get these forms and papers into the Curriculum office to meet the deadline.  And then I had to finish creating the new Gender Class I am teaching with another instructor over Interactive TV between two campuses.  And then now it is finals week and I am just trying to stay afloat.

But then I received a phone call that my old friend died–she had died three weeks ago with the memorial service this past weekend and no one thought to call me until it was noticed I wasn’t there.  The news made me stop everything and think about friendships and distance and how I have not kept in touch….that string between us all is stretched so thin I rarely see it…..and it made me incredibly sad that someone I loved–another person I loved and had not kept in contact with–had died and I didn’t know it….I didn’t feel the atmosphere change or something.  And it made me realize that I am the one who needs to stay in contact with people because I want to stay in contact with them.  Time is meaningless if we have no friendships.

My heart is heavy tonight…it might be indigestion, but more likely it is sadness for the loss of my friend, a friend I lost a few years ago when I stopped paying attention to things that are important.

peace~~