Staying Connected
A Stranger. That’s what I’ll be when I go to college this fall. Nobody will say “aren’t you Steve and Beth’s son? John and Amy’s brother?” I will simply be another college student with a blank slate. Many people love the idea of starting over, no longer bogged down by their past.
I am not one of these people. I know that my past has made me what I am today. The relationships I have had over the past eighteen years have expanded my mind and sculpted me into a better person. They taught me how to live. To lose this part of me would be like losing my identity.
I have gained many friendships by running cross country, leading and attending Kairos retreats at Saint Anne Catholic Community, singing in the high school choir, and through my other activities over the past four years in high school.
From my cross country team I learned dedication, hard work, and what life is like during the best and worst of times. I learned what a true friend is during my three years on the team. Kairos taught me to be open-minded, to be slow to judge, and to look for the best in the world around me. Choir taught me to listen to those around me and to think as the group being greater than the sum of its parts. All of the people I have met over these four years are very important in my life, but with so many people the question is raised, “how can I keep all of these people in my life?”
With Twitter and Facebook people are more connected than ever. When I read a friend’s Facebook status, there is often more information about their personal life than I would like. I do not think that reading about someone’s life from a computer screen is staying connected with them. A relationship is a two-way street. I have learned that technology is part of the problem. It makes connecting so simple, yet the relationships built are no longer as meaningful. I found that hand-written letters are the way to go.
There is such a difference between the majestic curves of ink on paper when compared next to the sterile look of Times New Roman. Sending a letter means you took the time out of your busy life to stop and think about that person, forgetting about the other 849 Facebook friends and focusing on just one person. Sure, a letter takes time, but that’s what makes it meaningful.
While we cannot all write letters to every single person who has made an impact on our lives, there are much smaller things we can do to show that we care: send a random text or Facebook message, wave when you see them across the street, or go out of your way just to see them.
It is difficult enough to stay connected with those around you not to mention keeping up with those who you have known in the past, but the effort that it takes is worthwhile. It makes you remember who you are and where you came from. Losing sight of your past means losing all the knowledge that you have gained, the experiences you have had, and the memories that were created.
So as we move forward in our lives and begin to form new bonds, let’s remember who we are by staying connected to our past, and each other.
Billy Raseman is a senior at Barrington High School. He will be attending University of Notre Dame in the fall.