friendship – maggiemarcum

As Simple as “Hello“

I’m at a transition point again. Leaving one group that I’ve been a part of for many years and looking for where I belong next. One of the most important things for me is to feel connected and a part of something bigger than myself. But that’s also really intimidating.

So I’ve dipped my toe into a few places. It hasn’t been as bad as I thought it would be. Because all it takes is a simple “hello” to make one feel seen and welcome. Have you ever noticed the way someone lights up because someone smiled at them or said “Hello”? It’s amazing what one five-letter word can do for a person’s self worth.

My daughter is a nanny to a couple of really sweet girls. Every now and then they FaceTime me. It is so much fun because as soon as they see my face they start waving. I wave back and it’s just a hello- hello, back-and-forth. It’s probably one of the high points of my day because they are so excited to be seen and recognized and I get to be a part of their joy.

These days, we all seem to be walking around with a lot of stress and maybe even fear. There are so many perceived disagreements between us about country, faith, and even how to celebrate the holidays. I have discovered that merely smiling at someone in the grocery store usually elicits a smile back and in that brief moment of connection, each of us seem to say, we aren’t alone. I see you and you matter. It’s so simple to make someone’s day when you think about it.

I think about those times when I’ve seen a friend across the parking lot and run to them for a hug. The hug is the Hello. It says everything about how much we cherish one another. It is so childlike in its simplicity. And so very good for the soul.

I challenge you in the weeks ahead to just smile and say hello as you walk around. Take a moment at the checkout to ask how they are doing and to thank them for what they are doing. Take a risk and say hello to someone that you normally wouldn’t have a conversation with. The best relationships all began with.”hello.” Who knows what next relationship is waiting for you beyond that simple five-letter word.

The Value of Friendship

There was a time in my life that I thought I would never have girlfriends. My childhood abuse twisted my thinking and I had mostly guy “friends.” I just didn’t know how to be friends with a woman.

Thanks to years of therapy and some incredible women who helped me heal from the trauma in my life- that all turned around in my late 40s. It was partly tied to being a mom and meeting other moms. But mostly, it was a change in my needs from needing a man to notice me, to having someone I could have an authentic life-sharing relationship with.

I have four life-long friends. We live in scattered parts of America and don’t have the day-to-day relationship we wish we did. I’m so thankful we were childhood friends. It reminds me that God places people in our lives when we need them, and boy did we need each other growing up! We trusted each other as teenagers do, with most of our inner secrets.

When I had my daughter, and took some time to deal with the childhood wounds, I had one friend who stood by me through all my emotional ups and downs. Who knew when we met as school-moms that we would be blessed to become such true friends. I met another sweet woman when my husband was in a major accident, who thought me to lean on a woman and trust them to walk with me. I also had the gift of a sister who protected me when I was young, and still walks through all the good, and not so good, moments of my life. It is a gift to share their moments with them and to navigate the waters of life together.

I have come to value and appreciate girlfriends in a way I never knew would be possible. Sadly, I have also found that women and friendships can fade away or be torn apart with no apparent reason. And I have found that when a friendship suddenly ends, it is as painful, if not more, as a broken love relationship. For me, I’m left questioning everything I did over our years of journeying together, trying to find that one moment where things broke down in hopes I can repair and restore our relationship.

I believe we each carry some bit of wounding from our past. When that wounding isn’t healed (and sometimes even when it is) and something subconsciously reminds us of it, we tend to flee to avoid further pain. We may fire up and fight against the perceived infliction of further injury- or we just shut down, unable to process or articulate what has occurred. I know that has been true for me.

Sadly, those reactions usually end a relationship over what could be a misspoken word, an unintentional action, or lack of knowledge of one’s sensitivity. We as women can far too quickly internalize an offense and turn on one another, destroying a valuable relationship.

Why are we willing to shatter something that is such a gift to have? Why would we so easily give away a deep sense of being known by another person? Why would we not trust each other with this kind of personal wounding when we have already shared so much? What makes us stop short when we need to say: “What you said/did hurt me.”

I sit today grieving over another broken relationship that I don’t know how to mend. It isn’t the first time I have had to question myself and my behavior, searching to understand my error. I wish I could restore the friendships that faded away or abruptly ended; however, I know that may never happen. That adds to my sorrow.

I hope I can learn from this. I hope I can let God heal my new wound. I pray he would intervene and bring restoration in our broken friendships. I pray for each of us, that we would see each new handshake and introduction as an opportunity to build a new friendship. I know we are made to be in relationship and I won’t give that up. I am willing to take the risk again. I hope you too will find resolution in broken relationships and either rebuild them or learn and move forward into the next one.

Today, I am thankful for all the relationships I have had. I am grateful for the times we shared, even if they ended. And I appreciate the new relationships God continues to lead me toward and hopeful that they can become good lasting friendships too.