Updating your address book

I still use the old fashion phone book. You know that huge yellow book that comes to your house every year and left on your doorstep?  I still use a real phone and address book for my personal addresses too.  It's not that I don't trust technology, but I have lost plenty of stuff because I forgot to backup. So this week as I went through the many names in my address book, I was struck with the memories of people of my past. Some of them have passed on and some have just stopped calling. I have learned to write in pencil for my brother Flyboy. He has had more addresses than years he has been alive.  Some people were  written in pen and I have had to just put a slash through their name.  To be honest, sometimes slashing their name gives me great joy. People who are "joy suckers" get slashed. Those are the people that can suck the joy out of every conversation, every gathering, every event they attend. I can't stand to be around them, they suck the joy right out of the air.

Someone just asked me for my mailing address and I watched in amazement how fast she was able to touch the tiny buttons and type in my address on her phone. What if your phone gets lost or dropped in the toilet? (don't laugh, it has happened to many of my friends)  Your entire phone book is out of commission until you have a chance to somehow retrieve your back up if you made one.

I am pretty good at keeping in touch with other people. It's other people letting go of me. For some reason they don't return calls, or don't return emails. I am no longer on their top 10 people to talk to. That's really OK, I believe we are all given a season to make an impression or impact on others lives. When the job is done we move on with both parties fading off into the sunset. 

I was pretty thrilled to see I have added over 10 people this year to my address book.  I kind of collect people. I don't hang them on my wall, just add them to my address book.  Have you added to your address book this year? Are you reaching out to people or are you slimming down and trying to spend a bit more in your own world? Spending time by yourself is nothing to be ashamed of. It is necessary to recharge our own batteries so we might be useful and happy when we are around others.

I pray you are filling out the cards you write with love and joy. I hope you are connecting with others that need to hear from you. I wish you peace and laughter with each person you encounter this holiday season.  This is Girl Schmuck signing off.