Relationships

We are all in relationships with others.  For example, I am a daughter, and a granddaughter, and, in fact, a great-granddaughter for I knew three of my great grandparents.  I was a wife and am a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.  I am a sister and cousin and niece.  I’m an in-law to all of my husband’s relatives.  And all this is just family.

I also have relationships with a valuable circle of friends, on varying levels.  Then there are work associates, people I know from clubs and other organizations, and neighbors.

See where I’m going with this?  Like John Donne said, 

“No man is an island entire of itself;

every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;

if a clod be washed away by the sea,

Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were,

as well as any manner of thy friends or of thine own were;

any man’s death diminishes me,

because I am involved in mankind.

And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;

it tolls for thee.”

If these past two years have taught us anything, it is that we need other people in our lives.  The relationships may have shifted somewhat but those who were important to us are probably still important.  

People are gregarious creatures and need the companionship of others.  For me, it’s been nice to finally be able to get out and do things again.  Simple things like going to the grocery store or eating out at a favorite restaurant have taken on new meaning and are no longer taken for granted.

With summer approaching, I’m going to be getting together with my family and friends a lot more.  We never really know how much time we have to be with those we love, and I am going to take good advantage of the time we have left!

How do you spend time with the people who are important to you? I’d love to hear about your adventures.