in inspiration

A New Friend Every Day!

This is a new post.

There’s a lot going on with the world right now. The Japanese tragedy. The American AT&T – T-Mobile deal. The newest Middle Eastern crisis. There seems a lot to worry about. It also makes us think what we as individuals can do. But it also makes us wonder how we can affect those around us in order to do something positive. That brings us to today’s Question – How many people can we ever affect in our lives? Dunbar’s Number says not more than 150. That means we cannot have more than 150 people in our lives at any given moment of time. But how many of even these do we talk to daily? Four? Five? Maybe ten if we have really, really strong bonds with some people.

Count the number of people you talk to on a daily basis. Parents. A few friends. A few other relatives and colleagues with whom you may have some work in the course of the day. Put that number down somewhere a piece of paper, in your cellphone or maybe at the back of your notebook. Then stare at that number for a full thirty seconds. No, don’t tell me you know that number simply because you counted it. Stare at it! Now understand the significance of that number. These are the only people whose lives you can affect in any measurable way on any given day.

When you know your number, resolve. Resolve to change that number, increase it, bring it to such a field that it may be called respectable (You, by the way, are the judge of that yourself. Decide how many people do you want to affect in your life). How will you affect so many people in your daily life? Talk to them. There is no better way of communication than talking to the person face to face. If that is simply not possible (maybe you’re reading this post from your outpost in Siberia or Outer-space) then decide the next best way. Maybe write them an email, or send them an SMS or even maybe leave them a small note everyday. And don’t think of writing a lot. There is not enough time for people to read a lot. Just keep it simple and say a little something. Sometimes a hello and a small chat is all that’s needed for someone to know that you are a part of their lives. And see to it that you reach that goal of yours, if not right on the first day than at least from day seven onwards of taking that resolve. That gives you a week to decide how you will expand that number of people who get affect by your life and then to start affecting them too. If you want to do something unconventional then go ahead and get online and write a post. Maybe this post of mine will be read by more people than I can imagine. Maybe I’ll affect more people than I think I can. Either ways, I’ve done something so that people may remember me by.

There’s a world of possibility to explore when it comes to making friends and keeping them.

Have fun!

What do you think?

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  1. Well written. Well said.
    A word of caution, I’d take the liberty of adding, here. In the process of “wanting to” affect a “respectable” number of people and their lives, you also would be letting them affect your life; and as that number may increase, it might change you from time to time, depending on the kind of people you interact with.
    So, all you have to be careful about, is to be attached to each of them and yet stay detached.. because the loss of a loved one in today’s world has a much higher probability (Referring to Japan-tragedy and Middle-East crisis).
    There is a hairline difference between affecting and being unknowingly-affected.

  2. Nice Post..
    But aajkal ki duniya me sala time kahan hai..
    When i am free toh they are busy aur jab unke paas time hota hai to mein busy hota hun..
    Today only, I dialed four numbers but nobody picked up.. 😛