Am I There For You?

I'm pretty sure you didn't hear that last bit I just said because your phone is in your hand and I just saw a text light it up that got you to thinking about what it said. The computer is within sight, the TV is on and now I'm positive you didn't hear me cause you have that glazed look and you just said "uh-huh" when you shouldn't have.
Pathetic huh? I do it too. I hate it and I'm worried about what it's doing to my relationships.  There is a constant interruption that is accepted. Remember when it wasn't OK to interrupt when someone was in a conversation? Now it's totally fine. Because we are all guilty by association. But have you noticed something else? We are all saying " I think I have the beginnings of Alzheimer's" or "I'm going to go online and see if I'm a candidate for meds for ADD".
Hmmmm.....And we are lacking strong relationships.
I also have noticed that not too many of us even know what's going on in each other's lives. This one is painful for me. I grew up with a large family and being the youngest you got used to being drowned out. I vowed that wouldn't happen once I had my own family. A father that seemed to care more about outside relationships, strangers to impress, brothers and sisters who valued their friends more than each other. Those outsiders & strangers came and went, they weren't the ones at the end of life, those same friends, no matter how close at the time, weren't around even 10 years later!
If I can just encourage us to be a little more attentive to the ones closest to us, I KNOW they will be the ones there for us when we have to say goodbye to someone we love. Counsel or just comfort us through emotional or physical pain. 
So please, let's put our families first. Put down the phone. Shut off the electronics for awhile.


Don't know where to start?
Can I make a suggestion or few? ;)
1. Bake something or buy it, it doesn't matter and take it over to someone, just because. You don't have to stay long just chat for a minute.
2. Write a letter, no email. Handwriting is almost a lost art.
3. Invite someone over for dinner. Don't make anything special. Don't even clean up your house. They'll be more comfortable in it.
4. Here's a biggie....Sons, don't leave everything up to your sisters, it's not written that they are the ones responsible for all of the family relationships. 
5. Adult children can stop by and invite Mom or Dad out for a walk just to catch up. Around the block once or twice with no one else along gives them a sense of special one on one time that you both never seem to get.
Life is short, sweet and precious. Let's get fat on it!!