“If you find someone who makes you smile, who checks up on you often to see if you’re okay, who watches out for you and wants the very best for you, don’t let them go. Keep them close and don’t take them for granted. People like that are hard to find.”— Unknown

How special is this quote? When I read it the first time it made me think not only about specific people in my life but also about the type of person I want to be. What could be better than wanting to make others smile; wanting the best for others and looking out for them?

I believe this to be even more true the older I get. As we grow older our friend and family relationships require a lot more effort and if we start taking them for granted, believing that the effort we used to make years ago was enough then we are definitely fools. How do we solve this problem of time passing quicker than we realise?

One way is by creating a routine. One of my friends who admits to not being very good at keeping in contact does well when there’s a routine. When we were younger we used to phone each other every Friday evening without fail at a set time. While this might not sound spontaneous the same principle has ensured we’ve stayed close after almost 25 years. I might not see her as often as I like but I know she’s one I cannot take for granted.

Once in a while then,  take stock of the important people in your life and make sure you keep them close and don’t take them for granted; for if you do they may not be around when you need them to watch out for you. And more importantly they may not be around for you to make them smile!