Having people over to your home can be a tricky thing. Most mums would agree that the kids usually seek more attention and their behaviour tends to be more disruptive or difficult. On top of that you are usually left with a fairly big mess after your guests leave!
Yes, life is busy, and we are constantly rushing around – but are we slowly losing that sense of community spirit and friendship with one another? It is so important to take the time to form those good and solid friendships with one another. People need support and companionship. They need to be remembered and they need to be loved! People need to feel accepted and feel a sense of belonging to the community.
From time to time we could perhaps consider what we are busy with in life. Is it spending too much time checking our phones, or browsing on Facebook? Could it be that we are addicted to a favourite TV program and feel we need to set aside the time to watch it? After all this, just how much time do we have left and how do we make time for others?
Try to remember that it is people who matter the most! Everything else can wait. Do we take it for granted that simply because we may have a good network of friends that others do too?
Here is something to think about; when was the last time you…
- called a friend just to chat
- sent a birthday card to a friend
- cooked for a friend
- reached out to a friend who has been distant for a while
- invited a friend over for a coffee
Even though these may seem like simple gestures, it can certainly take effort when we are busy with kids and family life.
Friendship with someone is the first step. Welcome them into your home or catch up for a coffee in a local cafe. Once you have formed that good friendship with someone, you may find that they begin to open up to you, they trust you and confide in you. You may be the only friend who they confide in with their bigger problems, not having been able to tell anyone else. How wonderful it is if we can help them with our advice and genuine support and most of all by offering to pray for them.
Saint Josemaria said that “through real, personal, loyal friendship, you create in others a hunger for God and you help them to discover new horizons – naturally, simply. With the example of your faith lived to the full, with a loving word which is full of the force of divine truth.”
Originally posted 2015-05-20 12:00:00.