end-of-year greetings.....

ok, so this morning i have sent out a few emails to folks i failed to hear from thus far this holiday season......it was only in the taking down of the holiday cards (by tradition we tape them around the door to the kitchen..) that it occured to me that i had not heard from my friend jane, nor beth, nor jean.....some folks we never hear from...certain of my spouse's sibling never send cards, despite a recent retirement....at least two cards came exactly 2 days after i sent out my cards......which may or may not mean anything.....but it is the ones i have heard from yearly for 25 years or more are of concern....why stop contact now.....what has gone wrong.....divorce has crossed my mind as a reason.....or failing health.......or both.......certainly not incarceration or bankruptcy or homelessness......hopefully their lives were just too overwhelming this year to send out cards.........i understand overwhelmed and would not want to repeat that chapter (chapters?) of my life........