Need to Be Reminded?

I paid my favorite Aunt a visit today in what was our first meeting in well over a year. We had not seen since my Dad's burial primarily due to location differences. She is my Dad's sister and was very close to him during his life, often displaying uncanny loyalty and commitment to his well-being. She has always been a vocal person and voiced her displeasure upon seeing me.

Thing is that not only had I not seen her, but I had also not made attempts at communication. She has always been very good at maintaining relationships so her displeasure wasn't taken lightly. I stood ashamed and apologetic while she chided me, and I tried to mutter something about being overwhelmed with work but stopped myself and simply apologized.

There are some relationships that it is 100 Percent my responsibility to maintain and this is one of them. While reciprocity is of course demanded, who needs to keep pouring fuel to the flames is not negotiable. I personally struggle in this regard but I don't believe am alone. While we come across people more than at any point in history, forming true connections has probably declined more than ever.

Even among those closest to us, we sometimes struggle to build and sustain true connections. It is important to remind ourselves that certain connections only work with our input, not because we are of 'lesser value' but because we value the bonds well enough to sustain them.