How many friends do you have on Facebook?

In the past few weeks I’ve learned through family and friends that several married couples have decided to split up and divorce.  The news of divorce has become so common in our culture that most times I don’t even pause.  However, when you personally know the people involved in a divorce, the news hits you like a ton of bricks.  I automatically think, “What happened?”, or “How could this happen?”  These people were in love, they seemed so happy!  Or if we knew they were struggling with financial, or health or child issues(aren’t we all?!), we figured they’d find a way to work it out.

I’m no marriage counselor or expert on marriage.  And I’m not going to even try to solve the problems of marriage. (most of you know, my wife and I have plenty of struggles.)  But what I think is missing in many relationships (whether that be, husband-wife, father-son, mother-daughter, coach-player, etc..) is quality time together and quantity time together.  Many people have friends, relationships; in person and on-line.  We love to communicate, love to talk, love to know the latest gossip, the latest story.  Cell phone use is at an all-time high.  Web browsing and chats and blogs and twitter are all the rage.  In the meantime, people in our homes are dying.  People in our neighborhoods are dying.  Kids in our schools are dying.  Grandparents in nursing homes are dying.  They are not physically dying (at least in most cases), but they are dying of neglect, dying of loneliness, dying of boredom.  They are dying of lack of human contact…nobody has time for them.  And I am guilty like you.

Let’s stop worrying about what’s going on in other people’s lives we don’t even know and start to get to know the people in OUR lives.  Start getting to know your neighbors, start training your children, start teaching the people in your work that are seeking your knowledge, start talking to your spouse, DAILY, about things that matter. Share yourself with others and start learning and caring about other people….live and in-person.  God meant for us to live and communicate in community, thus building community.  Really, look around….do you have any community in your life?  Do you share your dreams with people, do you share your home with people, do you share your time with people?  Let’s start giving quality and quantity time to the people we can touch.  The people that are for real.  I know I have more than enough of that type of person in my life to keep me busy for the rest of my life, and I don’t have to go on a computer to find more.  

Love like a Madman!

Coach Willertz-Winton Woods Wrestling