WHICH quote resonates with you more when it comes to family: “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” or “Out of sight, out of mind”?

When it comes to family, I believe in keeping them close no matter how geographically distant they are. Getting disconnected is so easy — a son moves to college and loses touch with his parents, a newlywed couple begins a home of their own, grandparents stay in retirement homes, a father works overseas to support his family. There are many reasons why a family can be physically disconnected. It’s a natural thing, nothing wrong with that at all. What we may fail to remember is to stay connected, no matter how geographically distant family can get.

Keeping your family close to you is a good reminder that you have a loving support system. It may not work with all family members, as each one has his own quirks, but perhaps there is one family member or two you can securely stay in touch with.

Social networking sites have allowed me to rebuild relationships with my cousins overseas. E-mail has always been a good way to stay in touch. And then there is of course the now occasional snail mail for the technophobes or the oldest generation in the family. There are many ways to reconnect and stay connected. The results rely on acting on these many ways.

Share stories with family. Throw in some pictures in the mail. Perhaps they too want to know what’s going on with you, they just don’t know how to get started. What if you take the first step in rebuilding that connection?