America is all abuzz.

Kids pack the back of their hatchbacks and trek it across the country to go to college.

Young adults move to the big city to get started with their new job—then move again for marriage, family, the business merger, etc.

In the midst of so much mobility, so many of us have often asked ourselves: How important is it for us to stay connected to our families?

With people moving great distances for jobs—crossing the country, even oceans—we are becoming increasingly out of touch. Despite all of our technological ways to stay connected, we physically are disconnected by space and time. When our parents or grandparents do not live in the same town, we have to make a focused effort to stay in touch.

What do you to stay connected? Do you prefer the phone? Have you tried Skyping? Do you gchat or email? Is Facebook your primary means of staying in touch? Or, like our ancestors, do you still pull out pen and paper and write a real letter, stamp it, and send it off with the postman?

In the midst of so much digital connection, it can be surprisingly difficult to remember to actually use it. And so sometimes it’s good to assess:

Are we leaving a legacy of staying connected with our children and family?

Are we striving to maintain important long-distance relationships?

Do we care enough to go that extra mile?

Here’s the thing: nothing can compare to our relationships—no pay-grade, no house, no better neighborhood—nothing. If we do not labor to love, we will find ourselves with—well, to be honest—no love. Have we lost touch with our extended family? Or maybe our best friends? Then there’s no better time than now to shoot off a thinking-of-you email or a quick phone call.

Heck, even a text is better than nothing. Especially when autumn is turning into frosty nights and cold days, it’s just so rich and sweet to connect with the people we love.

Sherri Rosen is now living in Harlem, New York. She has had her own publicity business for 12 years giving a powerful voice to people who are doing good things in the world. She writes her own blog at SherriRosen.com.

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