While riding along to take my son to DTW Airport on 12/29/23, I received a text from a friend, who asked
if I was free. I responded, “Yes.” She then texted, “Give me a sec I’m at work but I need to call.” I
immediately sensed that she had sad news to deliver, because that was the first time that I had received
an urgent text from her. We generally communicate on social media or through phone calls. She called
shortly before my son departed for his flight and they chatted for the first time in many years. Once I
returned to the phone, she informed me that a mutual friend had passed away in her sleep, on
12/23/23. She apparently had no medical concern, as she and her sister had planned a trip out of town
for the Christmas holiday. I was heart-broken. She did not have all of the details at the time. We decided
to contact other friends that might have additional information and communicate further. I relayed to
her the name of the friend that I would call. I called that friend and did not get an answer.
Approximately one hour later, she called and said that she found out that the friend that I had called,
had a stroke last year, was paralyzed from the waist down, and could not talk. Heart-broken again, I was
speechless. We then started to reflect, asked about other mutual friends and acquaintances, and talked
about what was happening in our communities. As we ended our conversation, I said to her, “We must
communicate more in 2024.” She agreed.
The next day, I obtained details on both friends from another friend, spoke with a friend for the first time
in over 25 years, called a friend, that I had not spoken with in about five years, and delivered that same
message at the end of the conversations – “We must communicate more in 2024.” I left a message on
one friend’s voicemail and sent an e-mail to another friend. I also obtained the phone numbers for
several other friends, that I had lost contact with, and plan to call.
Because many of us have been out of touch with not only many friends and acquaintances, but also
family members, I am reminded that not only should we communicate more in 2024, but that we should
also Love More in 2024.
Vernell Wilson
From the Core Blog
