Announce

It used to be that if you had an important announcement to make you sent out cards or letters to your family and friends.

Or maybe you held a party, raised a glass and tapped it with your knife to get everyone's attention, and made your announcement in person to the applause of those present.

Sometimes announcements are made over loud speakers or broadcast over the TV and radio. 

It seems to me that most announcements are made over social media today.  News that used to take hours, days, weeks, months or even years to reach the far corners of the earth, is now received almost instantly via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.

Today I can find out about the birth of a friend's baby moments after they are born.  I can also learn of job promotions or changes, engagements, performances and what you are eating right now as it happens.

Sometimes these announcements are wonderful.  Sometimes they make me cry. Sometimes they are things I really care about, sometimes, not so much. Sometimes I'm sad when I try to relay a story to a friend in person, only to discover they've already "heard" it on Facebook.

I love being able to stay in contact with friends and family everywhere.  I love feeling like I'm a part of their lives even if I haven't seen them in years.  I try to remember though, that the really big things are best told in person.  That to truly stay connected, I must stay involved and invested.

I announce to you that I will try to do a better job of connecting with you in person. I want to be involved and invested.