A deep and thought provoking topic and question was presented for the #weekend-engagement writing topics. The question is: "If you had two lives available to you how would you use the second one differently based on what you learned in the first?"
This question was easy to answer for me. I would value time and relationships much more than I did in the first life. I think most of this life I have taken these two items for granted.
Given a second life, I would know that time is fleeting and make more time for nurturing my connection with those I love and my friends. I would priortize having experiences over my career.
It can be real easy to get caught up in ones career and I was no exception. I allowed time with my loved ones and friends to slop through the cracks many times.
It is clear to me know and I have a better understanding of what truly mattered. However, it is also not to late. I have been, for a couple months now, been trying to re-establish connections with several friends and family I have lost connection with over the years.
This seems to be a good step forward in having this realization before my death bed. I am sure many will say it is never to reconnect with folks from your past and start nurturing those relationships again.
This small effort has required me to settle my nerves and make an intentional effort to rebuild connections. However, it has been difficult due to the fact I had a mental break a few years back and burnt a lot of those bridges I beleive. That said, I am making strides and reaching out to people at least.
Whether they respond or not, or in a positive manner is something I am still coming to grips with. For now I just move on, but maybe someday I will try a little harder to repair those relationships.
For now, I want to focus on reconnecting with all the ones I am able to.
Thanks for reading,
Joe
Notes:
-All content is mine unless otherwise annotated.
-Images are my own unless otherwise noted.
-Photos edited using MS Paint.
-Page Dividers from The Terminal Discord.
Something similar has been happening to me over the years, although I try to stay connected with family and some friends so that I don't become strictly isolated from myself, because it's not very healthy.
So your decision to re-establish connections is extremely healthy and beneficial for everyone, but mainly for yourself, for all of us who are at the same point.
YEah, I basically isolated myself away from everybody except a couple of people outside my wife and sons. It feels good to start reaching out and establishing those connections again.
Reach out is the best you can do. I've lost track of a lot of people over the years, and I've been trying to find some of those old friends as of late. It's never too late, people have break downs at times and most people will understand. Good to hear you're reaching out again, that's good!
That is all I can do. If they don't respond, or provide a negative response, I just keep moving down the list. Yes, it feels good as well.
Yeah, totally agree. I would add balance to it. Very important as well to find a balance between career and personal life, and just about everywhere in life.
I applaud you for reaching out to lost friends, family, connections - that is not an easy thing to do.
Yes, balance is a must. Agreed.
Thank you for stopping in to read. 😀
Reconnect, a very nice word indeed for all that it implies... you do well!
🙌
Thank you. You do well too.
Ah wonderful thought for Weekend Experiences.
For those connections, the ones that should be made again will. Worry not for the ones that don't pan out for they were not meant to be.
Thanks. I am kind of following that advice already. Just moving forward one step at a time.