Missing

So a friend who so deserves some good luck had someone tell her he misses her.  I was giddy with happiness for her.  We talked about those words.  And I can't stop thinking about it.  Lots of people throw around the "I love you" to the point that I bet it doesn't mean much to most people anymore.

But "I miss you"?  Well, that's a whole other story.  We were talking about how we have never or rarely ever had someone say that to us.  Now, my students say it, and I say it back to them.  And we mean it.  But it is a different kind of missing going on.  Some people say it and then make little effort to get in touch.  The kind of missing we were talking about is the kind that makes you feel wanted.  Imagine having a friend who says that to you after you return from a vacation or if schedules prevent you from talking for awhile?

So, do people just not miss each other anymore?  Do people take friends and loved ones for granted?  Or is it something else?  Is our ability to constantly hear from each other via text causing us to need communication breaks from each other?  It seems like not too many people like to or can have deep conversations.  Too many conversations are catching up on the past 24 hours and small talk.  When discussions are that meh, how much can you possibly miss someone?  But maybe it is none of the above.

Maybe some of us just aren't important enough to be missed.  I don't really know.