Most of the time, with the assistance of all sorts of technology, we manage to feel connected to our family and friends even though we are half-way around the world. We have a VoIP phone with a local Dallas phone number that rings in our Taipei living room. We use e-mail and Facebook to communicate everyday with friends and family, especially when there are pictures to share. We have a Slingbox so we can location shift and time shift local Dallas area television to our Taipei living room. Did I mention that we even still read the Dallas Morning News everyday thanks again to the electronic media? Most of the time this fills the void pretty well. After all, our children are self-supporting adults now. They wouldn't live with us even if we were back in Texas. Our parents are still healthy enough that they live independent lives too.

But this past week really hammered home the fact that we are half way around the world and the fastest we could get home to our families in an emergency is about 2 days. A phone call is a rotten substitute for a hug when you really need a hug.

First our much-loved family pet, Saltie got sick. He is 14 years old and had never been sick a day in his life. Our daughter, whose dog he really is, was beside herself with worry. Actually we were too. We worried about Saltie and we worried about our daughter. I seriously considered going home for a few days. If something were to happen to Saltie, I would feel horrible that I wasn't there. I would feel even more horrible that I wouldn't be there for Elissa. Okay, so she has a group of friends that would be extremely supportive, but I would still want to be there.

Then my sister-in-law's father died from cancer. My sister-in-law is always there for me when I have needed her. I would have liked to be able to do something to be supportive, again besides a phone call and a sympathy card.

Two days later, my aunt died in a car accident. She wasn't that old. She was just running a quick errand and just that quickly, she was gone. Again, wanting to do something more meaningful that a phone call and a card.

But distance makes meaningful and timely, in-person gestures pretty much impossible.

I think I will savour my family time in December much more this year. Families are our most valuable possessions. They need to be treated with care and tenderness. Being connected is more than electronics, no matter how good they are.