What counts?

I'm getting tired of people acting like people count for nothing.

Prime example: making time for people. I mean SERIOUSLY. Yes, people are busy. I'm busy, you're busy, the world's busy, the 21st century Western world could probably quite accurately be described by the word "busyness". But for GOODNESS SAKES. There are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 30 days a month (approximately). Surely in 5,000 hours of busyness, people could make time for people...?

To me, sending one sms a month saying "hiiiii how are you?" is not considered making time. To me, running into someone on the street and saying to them, "HIII it's been too long, let's catch up" but totally not following-up on it is not makign time. To me, calling someone up to say, "HIII how are you oh by the way can I borrow your xxxxx and can you teach me yyyyy" is not considered making time.

Perhaps that's just the way it is now. It seems that people will only meet up with others if there is a special occasion, or, in less of a euphemistic way of saying it, if there is an obligation to. Example - required to attend a birthday celebration, required to attend a 21st.

Or, people will only bother to call up if they know disaster is falling. "Oh no, I heard that Jimmy is in the hospital, I guess I have to pay him a visit!" or "Oh no, Jimmy's dog just died, I guess I have to give him a call." The "oh no" of both exclamations, by the way, is reference to the fact that this unfortunate person will now have to be *severly* inconvenienced as a result of Jimmy's situations, not because of Jimmy's situation at all.

I guess thinking positively, at least there's a shred of sensitivity left in humanity - that in times of crisis, we know to reach out. But it's not everyday someone is in the hospitals. It's not everyday someone's beloved pet iguana died. It's not everyday that someone's having a crisis. But it IS everyday that people need to feel cared for, people need to be encouraged, people need to think that they matter. Even if someone is having an absolutely brilliant day, I would argue that they would get greater satisfaction if they could share it with someone.

The most PATHETIC excuse, from my point of view, is the Christians that claim they're too busy because of church commitments, too busy going to Bible study or leader's meeting or this and that. Why does this irritate me most? Because one of the main teachings, and even preachings, of the Christian belief is to love others as Christ loves them. Then for GOODNESS SAKES show a bit of that love.

Right. Final semester, fourth year engineering. Yes, it's supposed to be a hard year. Yes, it is a lot of work. And yes, I need to almost become a slave to my wastewater treatment plant if I have any hope in redeeming my rapidly slipping marks from the last two semesters. And I have been working hard. Uni is hovering near the top in terms of priorities. But no, it is not my life.

An hour in 5000. Is that too much to ask?

Perhaps people don't count after all.