Schedule it.

I spent a most awesome day with my dear friend Dianne today.  It was Rachel's first time meeting her, but she immediately knew she was in a good place.  Usually cautious in unfamiliar situations, Rachel walked right into the house and followed her to the toys, puzzles and coloring books.  When we pulled out of her driveway this evening, Rachel was sad that her new "Grandma" couldn't come with us.  Yes, even my 2 year old knows a great friend when she sees one.
It's been nearly 10 years since Dianne, my former fellow English teacher at Cresbard School, moved away.  There were sometimes that years passed before we saw each other again.  I had small children and she was busy with her work and family.
What changed not ever seeing each other?
Scheduling it.  Now we know we will see each other at least once a year, and we both look forward to it.

Another former co-worker and and her family have joined us for Super Bowl for many years.  We only live 30 miles apart, but we our lives go in different directions.  Again, we have our annual appointment.

My high school friends have started to do this, too.  It took us quite a few years to get to the place in our families where we could get away, but now we have this summer's weekend together already on the calendar.

Another friend and I only seem to catch up at funeral lunches.  We really must find a new place to meet. :)

I have two more friends with whom I'm working on scheduling dates.  Sure, we may have to cancel sometimes, but then we just re-schedule!  Eventually it works out.

If we schedule our annual physicals with our doctors, why not schedule annual visits with our friends?  It is arguably just as important to one's health.

I am, by nature, not much of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of person.  Add in a husband and four children who depend on stability and routine, and it makes it nearly impossible for me to pick up and leave at a moment's notice.  But--if I can schedule it, and especially if it happens during school hours, I can make pretty much anything work.

It makes me sad when I see or hear of people using Facebook as their only means of "talking to" their friends.  I like Facebook and believe it has saved my sanity over the years for giving me a portal to the outside world, but it isn't REAL friend time.  It was begun as a means for people to plan their social lives, not BE their social lives.

So, as the snow begins to melt, temperatures return to tolerable digits, and we venture outside our homes once again, think of someone you haven't seen in awhile and SCHEDULE IT.

You'll be glad you did. :)