“Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” ~Vince Lombardi

Sorry I Couldn’t Come Out

Every now and then I try
To throw a social meet
An opportunity for folks
To encounter and greet

Interesting new  people
And make their circle grow
I feel it is my duty since
I’ve seen most efforts slow

I’ve seen a lot of people who
Say that they are too “busy”
To set aside an hour or two
Because they’re in a tizzy

Over all their duties that
They think take up much more
Time than they have in the day
So I engage the chore

Of throwing parties, meet-ups and
Other social events
But most are not well attended
Because one thing prevents:

“Sorry I could not come out”
Is what I always hear
Apology that I consider
Somewhat insincere

“Sorry I could not come out”
Is said by many who
Don’t respond for days or weeks
When asked “You coming too?”

“Sorry I could not come out”
Gets sent after the fact
Wouldn’t it make more sense to
Reply, respond, react

Before event is history
To take a moment and
Say that you won’t make it ‘cause
You’ve got something else planned?

Let’s be honest, we all know
That most, including us
Sometimes fluff off events ‘cause
They seem like too much fuss

We may not have something else planned
But just don’t “feel like it”
And since we don’t want feelings hurt
We’re too scared to admit

The real reason we won’t attend
The reason we aren’t there
But when apology comes after
It shows we don’t care

It doesn’t take an hour or
A day or week to write
“I will not make it but I hope
You all have fun despite”

So when you are invited by
A person who is trying
To bring people together and
Stop socialness from dying

Recognize where we are headed
Cocooning in our homes
Sitting silently before TVs
Like withered gnomes

Appreciate the effort and
The sentiment and make
An effort to engage and from
Solitude have a break

And if you cannot attend then
At least have decency
To not wait ‘till it’s obvious
To all that you weren’t free

“Sorry I could not come out”
To me is a bit late
When you can’t attend, it’s best
To not hold off and wait

No matter how “busy” you are
There’s always a minute
To say you’ll be there or you won’t
Either way, just commit

                                     ~Miro