When we moved to this area ten years ago, I was sure we'd be friends with this family down the street. Our boys were in the same class. We saw each other at school and stood at the bus stop together each morning when they started kindergarten. But somehow, it never happened. My family’s attempts to reach out weren’t rejected just once, but repeatedly. On two separate occasions my brave son rode his bike down the street to invite them over for a Nerf battle. When my husband told me, I prayed Continue Reading
When the Sting of Rejection is Fresh and Friendship Feels Too Risky
Sometimes the hardest thing we can do is be vulnerable. Whether it’s being real with someone about how we’re feeling, reaching out a hand in friendship, or making that call, it feels risky. We remember the raised eyebrows, the blank stares or the sting of rejection. We remember being ignored or uninvited. Often, it feels easier to live under a blanket of “I don’t care.” A few weeks ago, I watched as my son reached out to someone and was faced with flat-out, in-your-face rejection. We were Continue Reading
The Next Time We’re Rejected, Let’s Remember This
I remember watching my firstborn get his first taste of rejection. He was two at the time, and he leaned in to give his older female playmate a kiss. On the mouth. She looked at him, wide-eyed and a little mortified, and backed away. I couldn’t help but chuckle but my sweet toddler took it in stride. He knew he was cute, and her lack of interest didn’t stifle his confidence. We kiss in our family. We show unrestrained love. But once we go outside the walls of this home, those unstated Continue Reading
