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What This Picture is
This is a picture of a recipe card for Brown Bread. It lists the ingredients and their quantities. Next to the list of ingredients is a heading called “Method,” which lists the steps to follow for making the brown bread.
There are notes on the card that are “translations” of some of the ingredients and measurements that I wrote after consulting ChatGPT. On the bottom right is an image that looks like a bag of wholemeal flour.
Why I Saved This Picture
Irene O’Keefe watched our children when they were toddlers and I was a young mother. She had a beautiful way about her that helped me be a better parent and person.
When we made plans to reconnect with her in Killarney, I wasn’t sure how it would be. Would she be as excited to see me as I was to see her?
I had no idea.
Turns out, it was mutual!
We delighted in each other’s company as we talked about Ireland and shared highlights from our more than 20 years apart. I told her I was loving the brown bread I was eating in Ireland.
At our next visit, she gave me this recipe card.
After returning home, I made the bread, and I love it.
It reminds me of my wonderful trip and the gift of catching up with someone who remains very dear to me.
Catching Up
Reflect on the people in your life you once spent a lot of time with but no longer do. Make a list. Make sure it includes people you once worked with and enjoyed.
Then pick someone and reach out. You don’t have to travel across an ocean to catch up. Schedule a time to talk on the phone.
Besides making you smile and laugh, you’ll learn new things. You’ll have new stories to share. And you’ll strengthen your relationship-building skills.
Most importantly, you may, as Irene told me in a text after our visit, “do your heart some good.”
Key Points
- Catching up strengthens relationships. Reconnecting with people you once knew well builds the relationship skills we need at work and in life.
- Be intentional about staying connected. Make a list, choose someone and reach out. A simple conversation can teach you something new—and do your heart some good.
