Day Eleven: Connect to Old Friends

So, there’s this app on my phone called Marco Polo. On it, you record a video message, which then gets sent to a friend, who records their response and so on and so forth. I love it, especially as I primarily use it with friends who have completely different schedules from my own. It keeps us from the phone tag that only ends with me trying to have a conversation while getting my kids ready for school. Although, I guess these days, getting my kids ready for school means handing them their tablets and telling them to put on pants, please.

The downside of Marco Polo is that I don’t always respond immediately…or in the month after a message comes through. It falls to the bottom of my to do list, which is made up of much more urgent things that don’t make me nearly as happy as my old friends. Well, in this time of quarantine, I have no more urgent things. We’ve been out of school for 19 days now so all pre-made plans and obligations have been long cancelled.

So now I have time. Time to check in on that friend who just got a big new job. Or who I haven’t seen in a couple decades. Time to really chat. We’re all sharing this big experience, right? Let’s re-connect to the people who once filled our lives and can help us remember a time that was, maybe not easier, but different. How has life changed them and us? What’s new and exciting for them? What a gift we have right now. Let’s use it.