A simple phone call can change your whole day

You wake up late for work again. You jump out of bed, you get ready and you grab a bite to eat; all in a rush. You decide to take a taxi so you won’t be late and you find yourself stuck in the traffic and with 15 bucks less in your wallet. Somehow you manage to get to work and find so much work piled up on your desk that it will keep you busy for the rest of the day.

And suddenly your phone rings. And there is someone on the other end of the line, saying good morning and asking how your day has been so far.

You describe everything that happened to you so far with a tone of desperation in your voice and how you want to go home and stay in bed all day long. And he laughs and he comforts you and he makes you see for yourself the funny side of your misfortunate morning. That’s it. That’s enough for you to forget all about your bad morning and continue your day; a five-minute phone call.

That little thing we all carry around in our bags and pockets, that little thing that we sometimes wish we didn’t have, is a way for the ones who care about us to show it. You may take it for granted, but the phone calls you to get throughout your day, from people that call just to ask what you want to eat when you come home, what happened with that presentation that you were so nervous about, if you took an umbrella before you left the house in the morning because it is raining, or just so see how you are doing, are a real blessing. Those people help you get through the best and the hardest days. Because they always remind you that someone really cares about you – that you are important.

You are lucky if your phone rings and it’s your mom, your friends, your brothers, your lover. You are lucky to have those people in your life anyway. But with the crazy ways our daily routine keeps us on our toes, you may not have the luxury to have them around when you really need them. Their phone calls, at that point, get them there. They will help you rest on your ten-minute break talking about something other than work, they will make your trip seem quicker with all the things you will discuss, they will help you decide if you look good in a dress without even being there; even though they will always be there over the phone.

I have to admit that, a lot of times, when everyday routine hits me and knocks me to the dirt, exhausted and fed up, I don’t really take time to value things that matter. I might even get angry if someone calls me at a bad time just to see how I’m doing. And that’s ungrateful; I know. I don’t really mean it of course but it still is.

And then I realize what a nightmare my life would be without those phone calls. Without having anyone to show that they care about you, how your day was if you are tired or hungry, or just simple stuff like that. Imagine if you had to go through the whole day by yourself, with no one showing the slightest interest in you –or if you’re even alive– or even worse, having your phone ring, receiving calls only from people who want something from you; whether that’s solely for business or errands they need.

We should all take a minute to appreciate the ‘I love you’, the ‘how are you’, the ‘what did you have for lunch’, of those precious phone calls that save the day. After all, it’s really something to know that someone is taking time from their busy day just to see how you are doing and that’s so meaningful and thoughtful; and you are so lucky to have this.

So the next time your phone rings in the middle of your busy program smile, pick it up, and take a break.