I Want To Be Her Friend

I Want to Be Her Friend

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

A few years back, I was the emcee for a women’s event where one of my friends was going to be sharing her love of decorating on a budget and the creative ways she’d learned to use and reuse things to beautify her home. I supported her during her time onstage by asking questions and engaging the audience.

My friend did a lovely job sharing, and as she did, I commented to the crowd that the first time I met her, I knew that I wanted to be her friend. She smiled shyly as the conversation continued.

After the session was completed, and as we were putting things away, she told me how struck she was by the comment I had made about wanting to be her friend. To me, it wasn’t a big deal, but to her, it was huge. She went on to explain that as a child, she always struggled with friendship and wondering whether she belonged. My words, unbeknownst to me, struck deep into that place in her heart that still at times felt insecure about friendships with other women.

I stopped what we were doing and looked her in the eye. “Those weren’t flippant words,” I said. “I really did want to be your friend the first day we met.”

She nodded and smiled as we moved on to other topics, but I left the conversation thinking about how important our words are to others. We never know the past wounds someone else may be carrying, and our encouraging words have the power to bring comfort in ways we may never know. We can be the supportive friend someone else desperately needs; it just takes a little intention on our part.

— Kendra

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Offer encouragement to a friend for no reason other than you just want them to know that you care and are thinking about them.