This week a musician, friend and colleague in ministry passed away from cancer. He was my age. He was one of those people who always made you feel like he was genuinely glad to see you…and I’m pretty sure he wasn’t faking it. He was a well-known liturgical scholar and song leader/singer in my denomination, so he touched a lot of lives with his ministry and music. He was known and loved widely.

I’ve run out of fingers to count the number of people who have messaged, emailed or texted me about how they’ve been meaning to get in touch with him. Some knew he had cancer. Others had no idea. But everyone wished they’d been able to see him, talk to him and/or listen to him sing live at least one more time.

You know there’s someone you’ve been meaning to meet for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine,  invite over for dinner or simply catch up over the phone. Put down the Candy Crush or Tune Blast and level up your real life. Take a break from whatever you are worrying about and pay attention to what’s really important.  Blow off something you’ve built up as being way more important than it is and connect with someone who is really important to you.

If you need any more encouragement, a reminder that today is the 9/11. As horrible a chapter as that is in our nations history, in its aftermath, we all got real good at not taking life or each other for granted…for about a minute or two there.

Pick up the phone, y’all. You know you’ll be glad you did.