Friends
| When I was first in junior high, I knew no one. Most
students talked only to people they knew so they left me out of their conversations. I
would come home crying because I was lonely. Most of the people in my class had gone to
another elementary school and knew each other. Mother asked me what the worst time was and
I said that it was at lunch time, sitting all alone. She said " You are not the only lonely person. There are others that are alone. Tomorrow I want you to look around the lunchroom to see if you see other people eating by themselves. I want you to go to one of them and ask if you can join them." Well, the next day, I did look around and asked the first person I saw that was already sitting alone. The young girl was overjoyed. I shared my story with the girl and the next day we met for lunch and found some other people who were alone and also knew no one. This began a very interesting approach to life. The lessons that I learned from that experience have stayed with me all my life. I have few problems approaching new people at a gathering. I learned that I am not alone except by choice. I could choose to wallow in my problems or I could reach out to others. Most people are just like you and me. We all want to be noticed, to get a little attention, and to have someone be interested in listening to us. If you want to have a friend, you must be a friend! Suggested Reading: The Little Prince. Return to Hopes |