The Unthinkable Power of Reaching Out : Why You Should Call That Person Who’s Just Crossed Your Mind
In a world driven by schedules and algorithms; in a world where around 67% of your calls are rejected everyday for no particular reason – it’s so easy to dismiss fleeting thoughts of people from our past. ‘I’m not in the mood to talk’ or ‘I’ll reach out later,’ we tell ourselves, only to forget when that ‘later’ comes. But what if those sudden thoughts aren’t random? What if they’re nudges from a hidden rhythm-cycle that bind us all? My personal experiences have taught me that acting on these impulses — calling someone just because they crossed my mind — can lead to transformative, even life-saving moments.
Let me start with an incident that remains etched in my memory. Years ago, during a medical emergency, I found myself at a loss for reliable support. Frustrated and desperate, I stood at my balcony – and unmindfully watched people on the road. Then all of a sudden a passerby’s typical spectacles and hair style brought out a memory of a childhood schoolmate — someone senior to me, and someone I hadn’t spoken to or had any connection with, through decades. He had become a respected doctor, though we had nothing common and no connection at all. On impulse, I collected his number from someone I knew and reached out immediately, unsure whether he’d even respond. Not only did he remember me, but he also stepped in with critical advice, full support and care that made all the difference during that crisis. One life was saved.
Had I not made that call, the outcome might have been very different. May be disastrous.
Another remarkable experience happened during the launch of my debut novel, The Job Charnock Riddle. For a new writer, securing a prominent figure for such an event seemed like an impossible task. But I remembered a chance meeting with one of India’s most brilliant actors, Sri Soumitra Chatterjee, years prior. On a whim, I collected his number and contacted him with my bold request. To my surprise, he not only agreed, but also invited me to his house to learn more about my work and my book without any hesitation and became a vital part of one of my most cherished milestones.
And then there was that evening when I couldn’t shake the thought of an old friend. We hadn’t spoken in years, and there was no logical reason for me to think about him then. Still, I dialed his number. As the phone rang, I wondered whether it was an intrusion or just misplaced nostalgia. When he picked up, I quickly realized it was neither. He was going through a period of deep personal distress and badly needed someone to talk to. That conversation, he later told me, became a lifeline at a critical moment in his life.
What’s striking about these events is not the outcomes themselves but the fact that they stemmed from simple, intuitive actions — reaching out without thinking twice. And while these experiences might sound serendipitous, they point to something deeply human: the power of connection and timing.
Psychologists often refer to this as “affective presence” — a person’s ability to be emotionally available to others. Yet I believe there may be an ancient wisdom at play here, one that doesn’t fit neatly into modern frameworks. Perhaps these seemingly random thoughts of people are signals meant to prompt us into action. Some might call it telepathy; others might see it as a subtle survival instinct that has preserved humanity over thousands of years.
In our hyper-connected yet emotionally distant world, we often overlook these cues. We assume relationships can be maintained by an occasional like or an emoji on social media or a forwarded meme. But genuine connection requires presence — even if it’s only an eight-minute-phone-call, a simple text, or an impromptu meet-up.
So, the next time someone crosses your mind unexpectedly, don’t brush it off. Reach out immediately, even if there’s no clear reason. Perhaps it’s fate aligning paths. Maybe it’s just a moment waiting for you to act. Either way, the potential impact is far greater than we often realize.
After all, those sudden impulses to connect might just be nature’s way of reminding us that survival has always been about more than just intelligence or innovation. It’s about empathy, timing, and keeping each other afloat through the unpredictable waves of life.
Victor Ghoshe, Feb 2025
