Do you have 8 minutes?

reaching out when you need to...

Feb 22, 2025

“What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other?” ~ George Eliot

people holding shoulders sitting on wall — Photo by Duy Pham on Unsplash

Life has a way of getting busy, becoming unpredictable and sometimes, it can even get a little overwhelming.

The one thing that it doesn’t have to be is completely isolating.

No other time in history is like this one, for many good reasons. We live in an era of unprecedented information - breakthroughs in science, medicine, education and technology have elevated our abilities to find and disseminate this “wealth of knowledge.”

And yet studies show that that same technology can lead us to scrolling screens for hours on end, instead of interacting with the human beings we encounter every day.

And, in turn, despite all of these advances. many people find themselves feeling more alone than ever.

How can we change that?

Well, maybe one simple way is to be more intentional with our time and literally reach out to the people in our lives and let them know that whenever they need to talk, we are here for them.

This week I watched a video by Simon Sinek, an author and cultural optimist, who shared a heartfelt story about a friend’s subtle cry for help and how they developed a life-changing way to support each other in moments of need. He and his friend came up with code words to text one another when they felt overwhelmed and needed to share their struggles.

Those words were simply, “Do you have 8 minutes?”

It seems kind of silly to think that our lives are so busy that we don’t have time to help family or friends who really need it. But, as Sinek points out, when people text, “Can you talk?” or “Are you around?”, we tend to not think too much about it and many times we text back short answers or ignore those texts for hours or even days.

But studies have shown that approximately eight minutes is the average amount of time people need to reach out and explain their situation in times of stress or difficulty.

Problems aren’t solved in that amount of time but taking time out to speak with and try to help that person realize that they are not all alone…that there are others who feel like they do…it is so important that we do that…

Being there for one another and reminding people that they should never feel too embarrassed or afraid to reach out. And perhaps most importantly, that they are not alone.

Remember also that you are not alone. Ever.

And the power to connect to our family and friends, and other human beings we meet along the way, that power is in our hands.

Literally.

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Tranquil Moments…

I asked my niece, Jennifer Malphy, if she could share some of her nature photos with my newsletter audience. Each week I will feature a new photo. Here is this week’s:

This week’s Smile video…

Ama Sow, a young boy from Senegal, West Africa, had dreams of playing basketball in America. A private high school in Pittsburgh sponsored him, but then went out of business, leaving Sow homeless. That's when a local couple stepped in to help. Steve Hartman goes "On the Road" for the story.

#believe #smilevideos #spreadkindnessandlove

What I am reading…

Another week, another book…This time I am reading Joyce Meyer’s book The Power of Thank You: Discover the Joy of Gratitude.

Here is the Amazon summary: “Each moment that you’re given is a precious gift from God. You can choose to have a thankful attitude and live each moment full of joy, simply because God is good. In The Power of Thank You, renowned Bible teacher and #1 New York Times bestselling author Joyce Meyer encourages us to take a look at ourselves and the importance of being thankful.

Living life with a heart of gratitude for who God is and what He has done lifts your burdens and allows you to see everything in a different light. Regularly giving thanks to God not only helps you fully realize how He’s working in your life, it gives you a new perspective—your mind is renewed, your attitude is improved, and you're filled with joy.

Things will certainly happen to you that don’t seem fair, and it’s much easier to make excuses and feel sorry for yourself. Keep saying, “I trust You, God, and I believe You will work it all out for my good.” If you find The Power of Thank You in every situation, truly believing that God is working everything out for your good, you will end up with the victory every single time.”