Last night we had some friends and their three children over for dinner. Charis was thrilled! She and Selah waited for their friend, Ali, all day long. Making her cards (which they forgot to give her) and watching on their "perch" by a front window for a car to pull up.
When it was time for the family to go home, none of the children (though tired) wanted to stop playing together. There were even some tears.
Well, Charis informed me this morning that the next baby we have "you can name her Ali." Apparently, she loves her friend that much. :)
I love watching friendships form between children. They love each other just because they can, you know? Not because someone is the prettiest or the best at something or for any ulterior motive whatsoever.
For instance...
I was asking Charis about Sunday School a couple of days ago. Her only comment?
"Quinn wasn't there."
"Oh? You must really like Quinn, huh?"
"He's my best friend" (now it must be said that she ONLY knows him through her contact in Sunday school. We've never hung out with the family outside of church).
"So what makes him your best friend?"
She immediately says...in the tone of a 'duh statement'.
"Because I know his name."
*grin* Don't you just love the simplicity of a friendship with a child?
2 comments:
That's so sweet. It doesn't take much and, boom, kids are friends. I agree - the simplicity is great. Thought provoking.
What this made me think of is not only how refreshing it is to watch my children make friends so quickly, but how painful it has been for me to see them go through the process of losing friendships...usually for the logisitical reason of us moving or their friend moving, but also recently because of other factors.
I remember when Josiah's first friend, a little boy named David, moved back to the States from Israel where we were living. I knew in my head that Josiah would not even remember David, and so his grief would not be long-lasting. But my own heart was grieved as I watched it happen.
Anyway, I could write more stories about particular people who drifted into my children's lives, made a huge impact, then drifted away...and how as a mom, that never fails to make me ache deeply. But I think you get the point. :)
Whenever we love, there's a risk involved. And it's often easier to deal with that risk ourselves rather than watch our children suffer through it.
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