“Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow-ripening fruit.” Aristotle
I remember making a pact with God, “If you would just let me be popular—another name for the kids that were accepted into one of these groups—then I’ll be careful to always make the new kids feel welcome.” My eighth grade friend? I don't remember her. But I do remember the pact I made with God. Now I try to greet the newcomer and make them feel welcome. And, it has actually helped me come out of my shell and make friends more easily. Today I have a group of good friends. We’ve all moved out of the San Francisco Bay Area over the years, but I stay in touch with each of them. They sometimes return to California on vacation, and I often plan my vacations around traveling to see them in different cities and states. Email, Facebook and video chats help, too. The children’s rhyme, also referred to as The Golden Rule: “Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver, the other’s gold,” has proven to be true in my life. My loyal friends (I prefer ‘loyal’ to ‘old’), including their spouses and kids, are a treasure, and I hope to keep in touch with each of them for years to come. But it’s my new friends that sustain me through life’s routine events and meet my needs for daily connection and belonging.
Do you sometimes feel outside the ‘popular’ crowd? Have you ever considered befriending the new person? Who will you reach out to today to begin the journey toward friendship? Lord, thank You for the pact years ago, where You used me to help others get connected. Continue to teach me how to be a loyal friend. Amen “Do not forsake your friend…and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.” Proverb 27:10 What are your thoughts? Libby Note: Aristotle (384-322 BC), an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist, orphaned as a child, at seventeen joined Plato’s Academy in Athens; his writings cover many subjects including physics, biology, logic, ethics, poetry, theater, music, and government; and constitute the first comprehensive system of Western Philosophy.
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WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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