Last week, I met a girlfriend for coffee. THREE hours later, I remembered I had a to-do list. A rather lengthy one, as usual. I had emails to answer, calls to make, projects to finish, and about a billion other things demanding my attention. Do I regret a single minute of those "unproductive" three hours? Not. A. Single. One.
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is absolutely nothing productive at all. I've come to appreciate how incredibly important meaningful connections are, especially at this point in my life. I am around people ALL the time. Between work, community involvement, social events, family, and everything else, there is certainly no shortage of human interaction in my life. I love it, too...every bit of it! I am fortunate to have some truly incredible people in my life, many of whom I see regularly. However, there is a significant difference between spending time around people and spending meaningful time with someone.
Sometimes, a good, uninterrupted, three-hour conversation with a girlfriend is better than any therapy session money could buy. We laugh, vent, solve the world's problems, and remind each other we aren't completely crazy. It is like free therapy, but with caffeine and less documentation.
One thing I've realized over the years is how differently the people in my life contribute to the person I am. Some bring me peace when my world is anything but peaceful. Some offer clarity when I am overthinking something for the 300th time. Some are so ridiculously brilliant I walk away from every conversation feeling a little smarter. Others are brutally honest and aren't afraid to tell me when I need to pull my head out of my ass. I appreciate those people more than the probably realize.
There are also those people who have an almost indescribable way of making me feel loved, respected, appreciated, understood, or reassured I'm heading in the right direction. Some challenge me, some inspire me, some make me laugh until my whole body hurts, and some manage to do all of the above in one single conversation. Most of the people closest to me bring multiple things into my life, often without even realizing it.
I think we often underestimate how much these individual relationships shape us. We get so busy maintaining our schedules, responsibilities, and obligations that we forget to make room for the connections that help us effectively navigate them. Not every conversation requires a purpose, an agenda, or an outcome. Sometimes the value is simply being together, talking about whatever comes up, and enjoying the company of someone who genuinely matters to you.
At this stage in my life, I can look around and recognize how much of who I am, how I approach things, and where I find myself today has been influenced by the people I've been fortunate enough to know. Every single one of them holds a special place in my life, for reasons as unique as who they are. Some have been with me for decades, some are relatively new, and I am grateful for every single one of them.
If you've been putting off coffee with a friend because you're too busy, consider this your permission slip to clear a little extra space on your calendar. The laundry, emails, errands, and endless to-do list will still be waiting when you get home. Trust me on this one. The time is always worth it!
I was in a much better frame of mind to tackle all my responsibilities after three hours of girl talk. Time well spent. Every. Single. Minute. 🩷
