Investing In Friendship

Investing in Friendship

Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

I met my friend Edwin in college. Although I was an English major, I’d always loved history, and I ended up taking two of the classes he taught as electives. His sense of humor and engaging style made the class feel fun, and as time went on, we connected outside of class on things like music. When he moved on to a tenure track professorship in his native Canada, we kept in touch. He sent condolences when my sister died, congratulated me on my marriage, and wished me well when each of my daughters were born.

Each time a letter arrived, I immediately sat down and read through it. He sent newsy updates: postcards from his research travels to France, lengthy letters about the climate and adventures in the place he lived. Yet to my shame, I’ve only returned a fraction of his letters. He has been a much better friend to me than I have been to him.

Of course, I recognize that there are seasons in life that can interfere with our good intentions, especially when it comes to things like friendships. I’m in a season that includes small dirty footprints on the floor, Barbies in the bathtub, and Magic Tree House books tucked into unlikely nooks. Yet I also know that friendships are a precious gift, one I never want to take for granted. With that in mind, I finally sat down and wrote out a long letter to Edwin, thanking him for the generosity of his friendship over the years.

Sometimes, in friendship, we are the ones giving more than we receive. Sometimes, we’re the ones receiving more than we give. The imbalance can feel frustrating, yet if we recognize that seasons in friendship can happen and believe in the overall value of the friendship, our persistence in doing good will eventually pay off. When we invest in friends without expectations, we leave room for God to work.

— Kristin

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Jot a quick note or write a long letter to a friend.