My cousin, a smart and savvy 28 year old, and me, at 56 years old, have really connected since hanging by Lake Wawasee for my 50th birthday (in August 2014). She came to the lake again the following couple years. And then, we connected up again during COVID, in January 2021, at our home in Lake Worth Beach, FL.
My cousin? She makes the effort. She communicates well with adults, older adults and older cousins. She makes trips to see us. She takes business trips to further her career with a sports tech start-up. She takes trips with friends to discover the world. And, she remembers.
During a couple of our “cousin convos”, I had mentioned that I would charter a jet and bring friends to see Coldplay or KYGO if they were to ever perform at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado. Well, sure enough. In early June 2021, one of her work colleagues let her know that KYGO was coming to Red Rocks. She confirmed it, and texted me immediately. She remembered our “cousin convo”. She remembered!
We quickly bought four tickets to KYGO, on row 5, then started booking airfare. I invited another friend, but he couldn’t make it. Invited my niece, and she first declined, but then decided to make the trip, too. Bottom line: we had five of us, ranging in age from 28 to 76 on row 5 at the KYGO concert on June 24, 2021. What a blast, a memory of a lifetime. And my cousin made it happen, because she remembered our conversation about a bucket list concert.
Are you staying connected with loved ones? Are you asking unique questions? Are you listening, and remembering their answers? If YES, way to go and keep doing it. If NO, then ask yourself, “if you aren’t staying connected, asking questions, and listening for answers, then WHEN will you do it?”
Don’t wait. Life is short.
Jen Wilfong
6/26/2021