Staying Connected to Family & Friends That Live Far Away

 

As we get older, it can be more difficult to stay connected with our loved ones who live far away. Whether they've moved for work, retirement, or other reasons, it can be tough to keep in touch with the people we care about. But it's important to stay connected, for our own mental and emotional health as well as for the health of our relationships.

Two years ago, I relocated to Florida to be near my youngest son and his growing family. I left behind my eldest son and his family. My granddaughter back in Pennsylvania is now 12 and I enjoy texting back and forth with her. I also left behind my sister and her family as well as my Father. That was tough. All of them. It was a bittersweet decision, but I needed to be near my granddaughter that did not know who grandma is. Shortly after we moved here, another granddaughter appeared and I knew it was the right decision.

Staying connected is one thing I need to be better at. Like calling my father more frequently.

Happily, we just went back over the 4th of July holiday week and was able to see my family, and we are headed back for another week in the fall.

Here are some tips you and I can both follow to stay connected:

• Use technology. There are a number of ways to stay connected with loved ones using technology, such as video chat, phone calls, text messaging, and email. These methods can help you feel closer to your loved ones, even if you're not able to see them in person. There's nothing like a text from the granddaughter letting me know her latest youtube creation is online.
• Plan regular visits. If possible, try to visit your loved ones who live far away on a regular basis. This could be once a year, every few months, or even just once a season. Visiting in person is the best way to stay connected and build strong relationships. I try to do this at least yearly if not twice a year or hope that some fly down here for vacation!
• Share photos and videos. Another great way to stay connected is to share photos and videos of your life with your loved ones. This could be anything from pictures of your family vacation to videos of your grandchildren playing. Sharing photos and videos is a great way to keep your loved ones up-to-date on your life and to show them that you're thinking about them. For Mother's Day, my son's family bought me am Aura digital photo frame. I LOVE IT! She puts pictures on it at least monthly for me and I have the rest of my family putting pictures on as well. 
• Find common interests. If you have common interests with your loved ones, try to find ways to do things together, even if you're not able to do them in person. For example, if you both enjoy reading, you could start a book club or discuss books that you've read. Or, if you both enjoy cooking, you could exchange recipes or cook a meal together over video chat. How fun would this be! I may just see if one of my family members wants to cook a meal together. Like make my mom's family famous mac and cheese. 
• Be creative. There are endless ways to stay connected with loved ones who live far away. Get creative and find ways to connect that work for you and your loved ones. For example, you could write letters, send care packages, or even start a blog together.

I hope these tips help you stay connected with your loved ones who live far away. Remember, it's never too late to start building or rebuilding strong relationships.

I need to go call my Father now!

~Laurie