Never Assume- Make That Phone call!

So today a good friend aka the bump, pulled me up for their lack of a phone call invite to the BBQ , the BBQ that had everything bar the guests. Ah the dangers of telling your story!

Now for my sins she was quite right, I had not phoned her, as I pointed out rather sheepishly, that she is never in. That's it there folks, a mistake, and a common mistake at that, one we all make, we assume situations, and they become our reality, to us they are facts. So not for the first time this month I have been served a large piece of humble pie!

Another Big Helping!!!!

How often do we assume our friends are leading busy lives, too busy to disturb, and how often do we excuse ourselves from making the effort to stay in touch? A question that would flit in and out of my head for the rest of the day.

During my life, from being a wee one right through to my current status as a granddad, I have met a lot of good people that I class as friends.
I am not talking about the guy in the local pub or a work mate, as they are what it says on the tin, people you happen to know, or put another way acquaintances. That is not to say they are not good people and that you don't enjoy their company.
No what I am talking about, are the people you would choose to go to the pub with, or someone from work that you look forward to seeing in your home or theirs, that would be a friend, a deliberate act of making time for someone, and not just circumstances putting you in the same place as someone.

The sad truth is we all have friends out there that we communicate with less than daily, aye even a Christmas card in some cases is our conscience cleanser, for friends we have not forgotten about, but we have clearly lost touch with, in the day to day battle that is life. They are too busy, I am too busy, I will give them a call tomorrow, next week and so goes the vicious circle that the vast majority of us get involved in!

Then of course you have the added wee bit of spice, that not all your friends get on with each other, quite often the only common factor some of them have is you, In fact it is not unusual for  your friends to know nothing about your other friends, and further they probably are not too interested as they to, have a circle of friends outside you.

This friendship thing is complicated!! Well no its not, it is really very simple, your friends are a very  important part of your life, just as important as family, unless of course you are on a desert island by choice.

You should take time in your life to stay in touch with your friends after all it should be a pleasure not a chore.

So instead of assuming, I intend to put some effort in over the coming weeks and months, I will be phoning, emailing, face booking and aye even using the oldest method of all, meeting up with friends to find out how life is and what their news is!

As for my friend aka the bump, well she likes a wee party, and indeed as I should have remembered from last summer enjoys the odd BBQ, so when I meet my friend aka the bump for a coffee-one I hope not to choke on- with my slice of humble pie, I will make sure a date is set for a wee get together when the bump is gone and hopefully a new friend is born!