“make this world a better place if you can…”
Reach out and touch someone…
We’ve all heard this song… Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin and Ashford and Simpson all have had versions of it over the years…However a little know trivia fact is that Ashford and Simpson actually wrote the song. Having said all of that, I think the song is best known for the AT&T commercial of the late 70’s. It was hugely successful and promoted connection with family. I’m guessing they wouldn’t be using this song or the tagline now…but back in the day it worked. And the sentiment of what the song projects, if you read the lyrics, is indeed touching(no pun intended).
“Reach out and touch
Somebody’s hand
Make this world a better place
If you can”
Such simple words…but they have had a very long lasting impact. Most people of a certain age remember it well. I know I do. We had telephones hanging on our walls or sitting on tables then but we reached out and we called our loved ones with them. We weren’t all so busy then and a simple phone call to find out how their day was going was not out of the ordinary. Now we text and talk to people on social media. Have we lost touch with the people we care about? Have we lost touch with the world? Is this in fact all part of a larger problem?
I found out this week how one simple act of reaching out can have a huge impact on another person’s life, thus impacting my own. I hadn’t hear from a friend in about a month. She was always posting positive stories and always had positive things to say when I posted something on Facebook. So when I realized I hadn’t heard anything in awhile I looked up her profile and was surprised to see it had been taken down. I didn’t know what to do…I was afraid something terrible had happened to her. I didn’t have any contact info of hers but my intuition told me I needed to “reach out” to her.
All of the sudden I thought of Linkedin. Maybe she was on there. I checked and she was… I sent her a short message telling her I missed her positivity on FB and also just missed her and hoped she was ok! That was all, just a short message. I never expected to get the message I got back. She wrote that she was so touched I had reached out and said that no one else had even bothered to check on her. She also said, ” a kind word can change and make a difference in some one’s day and in that one day…it could make a difference in someones life.”
One word, one call, one message…it is such a simple thing. We need to reach out more, we need to not be afraid of rejection. If we see someone looking sad, ask them if they are ok. If we don’t hear from someone in awhile call them, talk to them…check on them… If someone has lost a relative, a parent or child…don’t be afraid to reach out. Don’t be afraid you don’t know what to say or that you will say the wrong thing. Even months and years later, these people who have lost still grieve. One word of kindness can change their life and can in turn change your own.
To say that this experience has changed me would be putting it mildly. It literally made me cry and touched my heart deeply. If you read my last post about my “word” for 2018 being LOVE and how I wanted to do things I loved and show more love to people I cared about. This…this right here is what life is all about. Caring about others enough to check on them. Caring about people we don’t even know that well. “Love” is truly the answer to the problems we have in the world today. I believe this….At the very least it would be a good place to start… What do you think?
“Take a little time out of your busy day
To give encouragement
To someone who’s lost the way
(Just try)
Or would I be talking to a stone
If I asked you
To share a problem that’s not your own
We can change things if we start giving”
how sweet…we do tend to not talk anymore…think we’re all guilty of it…
technology is great but takjng away the good. Glad you reached out to your friend 💟💟
Thanks Susie Q!
This is an important post so thank you! It’s easy to get caught up in our own little worlds and either not think about others or if we do, not going to the trouble to follow through like you did. Brava!!!! Brenda
Thank you so much Brenda! And you are so right, we need to do this more…
That was a beautiful thing you did and I have tears in my eyes. I am quite introverted but I keep touch on social media. If someone disappears /stops posting, I get a major attack of the “shys”. Now I will have more courage and reach out. I’m sure your reaching out made a big difference – it would have to me, also.
Thank you Alana! I didn’t really realize how one small thing can make such a huge difference…I now know and will keep reaching out…
You are so correct—-because of technology, we have lost touch with the more human side of one another. You did a wonderful thing by reaching out to your friend.
Thank you Marcia!
We get so very busy with our life, and forget the more important need of connecting with other human beings in a meaningful way. This is a very timely reminder.
Thank you Darlene…yes we do forget…I do as well. I hope to pay more attention and try to do better!
A beautiful reminder to not let time get away from us. I loved that old commercial and you’re so right everything starts with love. What a better world it would be.
Thank you so much Rena! So true…
This reminds me of when I was in a terrible bike accident back in 2008. I had a TBI, fractured ribs, etc. and couldn’t move or think for weeks. Some sent me e-mails, but it was then I realized that there are times when e-mails are NOT ENOUGH! I needed to talk to people and actually FEEL their love and support. It was the friends who came by and brought me things like movies to watch that I remember best. It will be interesting when we are all older and dying, how we will contact each other. Will we text a quick: “Sorry to hear you’re dying.”
Laura, this is so true…and I don’t want someone texting me that one for sure…we need to be with people again…really with them…thanks you for your comments!
Good for you, Renee. It was amazing that you noticed, cause you have sooooo many friends. Your friend probably thought she could just slip away unnoticed, like some of us have done. It must have made her feel really good, but then again, that is the kind of person you are…..kind and caring.
Aw, thank you Peg! And you do reach out…your messages are much appreciated and I am thankful for our friendship! Lets get together soon…
You may have just created a New Year Resolution for 2018, Renee. As time passes, we sometimes lose contact with those who were an integral part of our lives in the past. To find these people, with the help of social media, can be a real pick-me-up especially in the dead of winter when travel is severely limited. I am sure that as you connect with people from your past interesting facts will emerge that will brighten your day and rekindle friendships temporarily lost over the years. Good post.
Thanks Andy and your wife is one of the blessings in my life and so glad we have reconnected!
Interesting!!
This is just lovely. What a wonderful reminder!
Thank you Michelle!