why not ?

Today is almost over, just a few hours before I have to write tomorrow's blog.  So what's for today? Well, I'm trying to finish my Christmas messages and trying not to forget anyone, also deciding who's naughty and nice - that is, who falls off my list.  Used to be no one did. I stuck like Velcro, loyal like the iconic burr on the sheep dog's back. And I got to thinking, as I do more and more often:  why doesn't anyone feel that responsible to me?  Why am I always the one to reach out, to keep in touch, to remember to call or send a note or whatever?  Why?  Once, when I moved (this was years ago before I started questioning), I was delayed before I could send out my contact information to "friends". I use the quotation marks on purpose.  It took me a while to inform people because I had a couple of assignments that took precedent.  And then I noticed that no one had made the effort to reach me. It was not that hard.  There's always mail forwarding, and family, that might have given them a lead.   So then I got stubborn.  I did not send out new addresses and numbers and waited.  Know what?  I lost several friends that way, people from whom I have never heard since - and that was almost 30 years ago.  I met one of them a couple of days ago, at a luncheon.  You go that long out of touch, you lose the currency of communication , let alone friendship.  It gives one pause.  Tomorrow - so soon - I'll try to hit a brighter note.