A friend called to check in the other day. She asked how I’ve been and how things were going. She called with genuine grace, compassion and support. I could hear it in her voice. It was as if I could see her smile as she told me she’d been thinking about me and I could feel the comfort of the hug she said she was sending from afar. It was the kind of phone call that felt like a gift.
I hit the button to end the call after our meaningful conversation, the kind of chat that restored the strength and hope that had seemed to be temporarily hidden from my view. And as I hung up the phone, I cried. Huge tears streamed down my face and onto my shirt. And the beautiful truth is that these tears weren’t created by sadness or despair. They weren’t created by unhappiness or heartbreak. They were created by gratitude, love and appreciation.
You see, that friend lost her father a little over a week ago. Just days ago her world collapsed as she said her final goodbye to one of the greatest men she’s ever known. And today, just days later, she took a step away from her grief, she took a moment out of her day, and she called me.
She has her own mountains to climb and she took time for me.
She has her own grief to carry and she took time for me.
She has her own responsibilities and to-do’s and yet, she took time for me.
In the midst of her own storms and struggles she still found time for me.
The power of a simple phone call is priceless.
The power of a single moment is immeasurable.
The power of feeling seen and loved is life-changing.
The power of a compassionate voice on the other end of a phone simply checking in to see how you’re doing is a gift– a true gift.
This phone call reminded me of the influence and power of connection. It reminded me that all of the small things– love, empathy, kindness, effort and friendship, are really the huge things. The things that don’t cost money and don’t take up room on a shelf. The things that take up room in your heart. The things that light the way when all you feel is darkness. The things that wrap your soul in comfort and hope when you thought those things were gone for good.
We so often forget or underestimate the power of time. We often misjudge the power of connection. We often overlook the power of feeling seen and important. We often miscalculate the power of living a life where people cherish your heart, your relationship, and recognize your hardships as much as your successes.
I left this call feeling optimistic and encouraged, and more than anything, with the reminder to check in on those I love. To take time to acknowledge the paths of those around me. I’m not even sure my friend knows how much those simple minutes meant to me and how their impact helped me shine again.
We don’t need gifts, we don’t need care packages, we don’t need fancy or elaborate, though those things are immensely appreciated. We simply need acknowledged and we need loved. And today, I felt both of those things because of an unexpected call.
Thank you to everyone in my life who calls when it’s not planned, to those who show up in invisible but mighty ways, and to those who take the delicate time to remind me things will be ok.
Call your people today. Let’s love intentionally and check in on each other.
