Relationships: I Become More and More Convinced That They Are the Most Important Things

This morning in church I realized that, if I want to have relationships, I shall have to pursue them. I also noted that relationships are important to me. I want to become more aware of the ways in which people are brought into my life. I want to be more purposeful in the way that I pursue them. This point was carried home within the context of the Bible study I attended just this evening.

I figure that the moment I acknowledge an individual's presence in my life, I should see this as a sign that the Holy Spirit desires to act through me in some way. After all, my acquaintances fall under my sphere of influence as Stephen Covey would describe things.

I had a gift to take to a young woman in my church who recently had had a baby. As I contemplated my desire to visit her in the hospital, I became aware that I was acquainted with a nurse who worked delivery, and that she herself would be expecting her own baby at any time. This nurse had been a classmate of mine in high school. She and I were never close, in fact we were not even friends, but my feeling toward her had changed since Parker came into my world. Parker has changed all sorts of things, which is part and parcel of his status as a gift from God. I had a gift to give to her as well.

I wrote this nurse a card in which I told her that if she ever needed to talk she could phone me. I told her that complaints were welcome, as I know from my own experience that sometimes you simply need someone to talk to when times are hard. Sometimes you need someone to whine to other than your husband. I was fortunate in that I had such a friend, after Parker was born, and I have long desired to continue to be such a friend to others who are in need. Unfortunately you only rarely come across anyone who will take you up on such an offer. I myself am guilty of ignoring the offers of those who have reached out to me. Perhaps I should contact these saints and beg of them their forgiveness.

Perhaps I shall as I become more and more convicted of these things. But it is late.