Just Sayin’

When I was younger, I thought friendship was all about quantity. The more friends, the better!   

The older I get, the more I realize that I was totally wrong. For sure it is all about quality. Whether that means one friend or five, it’s about substance. It’s about authenticity. It’s about heartfelt caring and compassion.

I’ve learned that the same applies to family. Growing up, we’d go to big gatherings with aunts, uncles and cousins I barely knew. A party is always fun, so I can look back and say that we had some good times. But, did we all really know each other? Nope. Not at all. Almost everyone lost touch eventually.

I’d like things to be different for my children. I want them to have real relationships with their grandparents, aunt, uncles and cousins. So far, we’re doing pretty well with it. Cell phones, FaceTime and texting sure make it easier to connect with those who live in other states. We take an annual beach vacation with part of the family. We all look forward to making memories every summer. If you ask my kids, they’ll tell you it’s their favorite part of the whole year.

Like friendships, our number of family members may be small. But we’re trying to invest effort and time into one another to keep those relationships alive. And, of course, there are those extra-special friends who feel like family. I’ve learned that it takes intentionality and planning because life moves quickly! ■

Written by Q104 Personality: Jenny Matthews

Jenny Matthews was on the air at Mix 93.3 for 15 years and in 2019 moved to Q104 to co-host The Morning Drive with Mike Kellar + Jenny Matthews, 6:00 to 10:00 a.m., Monday through Friday. Check out her podcast, Real Life with Jenny Matthews, follow along with her blog and connect at jennymatthewsonair.com.