Thirty-six has me thinking about the people I’d like to hear from more often. I’m good at thinking of someone while I’m doing the dishes or driving somewhere. I’m less good at remembering to call once I’m free. Then enough time goes by that I feel like I need a reason to get in touch.

I always appreciate the simple messages I get from someone who thought of me. They can be a sentence long and still make a difference to the day. I’d like to be a little less particular about finding the right words and a little more willing to say, “Hey, you crossed my mind today.”

This year I want to do something about it while the thought is fresh. Some conversations may only last five minutes. Five minutes is enough to hear a familiar voice and find out something I wouldn’t have known otherwise. I can make that call without having a whole afternoon free.