In yesterday's paper, I saw a notice that is the best incentive to pay attention to one's social health that I've ever seen. A man had been found dead sitting in his chair in front of the television. He'd been dead for a year, but was fairly well preserved because of the dry air in his home. And the TV was still on.
Neighbors had thought he had gone into a nursing home or was visiting family. It wasn't until someone noticed burst pipes that anyone investigated. His wife had died some years before and he lived alone - died alone, and remained alone for a year before anyone noticed.
Well that notice grabbed at my attention - and firmed my goal (yes, still another goal) to build my connection with friends and family.
Just this weekend I ran into two folks with whom I used to sing every Sunday afternoon for years. I hadn't seen them in way too long - and there are too many people I know and enjoy but haven't seen in way too long.
It's too easy to let time go by and get absorbed in one's daily-dailies, and not reach out to stay connected with people that matter.
So it's time to act on my goal of having four dinner parties this year. I like sharing a meal with friends, catching up on their lives, talking about what we all hope for in the weeks and months to come. I like sitting around our table and building layers onto our feelings of connection with one another.
But it's easy to let months go by without inviting people in for dinner. It's easy to find excuses. The carpet needs cleaning, the dog is sick, the hallway needs painting, what will we cook? What's on television?
Oh wait. There could be time for television even after I die. Let's have folks for dinner instead. I'll give myself a couple weeks - but I think for this first dinner party of 2007, I'll invite our neighbors!
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