A sweet friend of mine just forwarded me 'An Interesting Story', a bit about getting into heaven with your friend in this case a dog, something remarkably like a classic Twilight Zone episode. The message was simply, people forward you joke and what not, because they love you and were thinking of you, not for other nefarious reason. I wrote my friend back this response
"...As for the whole forwarded things... I have very strong feelings for all things forwarded. Ordinarily I avoid them like the plague, however, I did myself have an epiphany of sorts some time back about the nature of said messages. I DID realize that when I get something forwarded its because someone loved me, but did not take (or didn't feel that had), the time to actually write me a letter. I understand the thought, and the impulse and the warm fuzzy intentions behind it. I really and sincerely do. I ended up writing my beloved sister Lisa a three page letter, saying just that. That I knew it was because she loved me, not because she was too lazy...That being said, forwarded things do make me a little sad, because it means to me ..."I love you and was thinking of you, but not enough to actually spend just twenty seconds longer to type in eight little letters and THEN hit send..." Some of my best letters are simple, totally honest and heartfelt statements of fact that can at times be only a few words. Things like "I thought of you today-..." or "I miss you, will write later" or best of all "I love you."I understand that everyone today feels the time crunch, with our global economy and new fangled things like electric lights and the ability to communicate with millions of people all over the globe at any time of the day or night, from just about anywhere imaginable, its no wonder we don't feel like we have enough time to get all that we want, or all that we should done. I get that, I've got a nusing infant and a husband, and six year old whose struggling, an ex-husband whos comeing unglued and a family and church, and I'm tring to get back to school in a few weeks, and friends, and my hobbies and my writing and and ad infiniteum... Still, time because of the natuer of our lives and craziness, is the most precious gift anyone can give anyone else. Hesitate when you see the fwd: button, think about instead of JUST sending the message, just typing three words above so I know WHY you sent it, WHAT it meant to you, whatever, just be honest and risk your self emotionally, just a little. Take literally one half minute to show me you REALLY love me by writing me. In the end, although I GET forwards, I regret that I'm only a half way priority in someones life. Important enough to hit one button, but just not quite important enough to hit fifteen or twenty.
