Most recently I had someone tell me they didn’t want to be my friend… WOW.
As a 40 something year old, I was insulted and quite taken back. Never in all my life have I ever been accused of being a “stalker” for the opposite sex, never mind someone of the same sex. Lol. What was her reason. Apparently I left too many messages for my “newfound” friend… I made her feel uncomfortable. Hmmmm.
Now, I appreciate her honesty. I can even admit that, maybe, it took some effort and courage on her part to admit she didn’t see us as friends. However, it got me thinking…
First, I don’t care, to be honest, that she doesn’t want to be friends. Her loss. Sometimes you meet people, romantic or platonic, and there’s no connection. That’s ok. Not everyone will like you.
Second, as we get older and start meeting new people, both personally and professionally, isn’t it a shame we are shocked when we stumble upon a “Good” person. Unfortunately, my experience is that many people are too caught up in their own lives to appreciate one another. More times than not, people can be selfish, dishonest or they have ulterior motives for why they want to be friends with you.
Lastly, since expanding my network of childhood friends, I have grown increasingly picky with who my close friends are. Reminds me of a Feb 24 sermon I recently heard from Pastor David Blunt from Church on the Rock, St Peters, MO. He shared his point of view about the importance of friendships… “Our friends frame our world and friends determine our future.” “We choose who our friends are because they are critical to our future” and ultimately reflect who we are: Esteem, Evaluate, Eliminate, Expand and Expect.
But, choosing quality over quantity doesn’t mean you have enough people in your life. Even if you are the President of the United States, you can never have enough friends. Absolutely stay picky… BUT life IS about meeting new people, making connections and enjoying new experiences. People come into your life for a reason and come from all different backgrounds, shapes and sizes, jobs and income brackets. Don’t live life alone…
And PLEEEZE… Don’t misinterpret or be skeptical if someone is kind to you. And (at the top of my lungs, I shout)… DO NOT automatically assume that people want something from you. Are you really that arrogant to believe they could be interested in you more than a friend. Their gesture is probably just what it seems…They find you interesting and want to simply be your friend.
