In this bustling modern world, it’s easy to get caught up in our lives and temporarily neglect the people we love. It is especially unfortunate when the people we forget are the very people who raised us and loved us into being.

In the beginning of 2023, the New York Times released an article called “The Secret of the 8-Minute Phone Call.” Jancee Dunn wrote the article as part of the 7-Day Happiness Challenge, which spoke about how hearing the voice of a loved one can be emotionally regulating. However, we also do not have infinite time, so setting the 8-minute boundary can give you the out you need.

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So you know who you should call for 8 minutes? Your grandma. And if you don’t have a grandma, call your grandpa or your parents. Or your aunt or uncle or the man living in the secret bomb shelter under your house, but start with your grandma. You may feel you have infinite time to connect with your meemaw and catch up on life, but you don’t.

Life has a way of distracting us, and we tend to take our loved ones for granted. And while you may be incredibly busy with work, household chores, or furry conventions, you do have 8 minutes to call your grandma. DO NOT TEXT THEM. If I have 8 minutes to write this brief blog post despite a bunch of deadlines falling on me like a house of bricks, then you can pick up the phone and chat with your bubbe.

If you have no idea what to ask your grandma, try talking about “A Walk to Remember.” My yaiyai is obsessed with that stupid movie and has spent months of her life trying to convince me that Mandy Moore and Shane West were actually in love. That same experience could be awaiting you!

Or, pick up a copy of “A Smart Girl’s Guide to Boys” and tell her that you wish they’d teach you more about Vikings. It doesn’t matter. Make up something for 8 minutes, and then move on with your life. You’ll feel good, your grandma will feel good, and who knows, maybe your grandma will have some previously unexplored feelings about Vikings.

I wish they’d teach us more about Vikings. from pointlesslygendered