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Have you ever felt the need to randomly walk up to somebody and ask: “Hey, do you want to be my friend?” Ok, that’s probably not how you would approach the person and that’s not exactly how you would start the conversation, but you probably get the idea.
A few times in my life I have felt like I would love to start a friendship with someone I barely know. There’s just something about them that I feel drawn to. Perhaps it’s their gentle nature or warm smile, but I just feel like I would get along well with them. Plus, it’d be great to have more friends!
Don’t miss EC President Jason Simon’s advice on easy ways to deepen friendships.
When I was working for a parish, I went to weekly Thursday evening Mass. I would often notice a young lady who would sit by herself and had a soft manner and deep devotion to the Eucharist. We had exchanged smiles a couple of times but that was all.
One day, I noticed how immersed in prayer she was. I began praying for her and asked God to help her in whatever she was going through. I told God that it would be very nice to get to know her and start a friendship. I just didn’t know how to go about it. I knew I wouldn’t simply approach her and introduce myself because I thought it would be a little weird (and so would she!).
Mass ended that night and I started heading toward the main doors of the church. As I turned, I saw the young lady facing my way and gesturing towards me. I immediately looked back to see if she was waving at somebody behind me but I realized it was me she was waving at.
It turned out she had a question for the pastor and wanted to know if I could ask him. We exchanged phone numbers so I could give her a response and said goodbye. I went home that day chuckling at how God works to get things done. I was sure it wasn’t a coincidence. It was God at work. If God listened to me in something that I considered so insignificant in the grand scheme of things, how much more will he listen to me when I ask for greater things?
Every time we saw each other after that, we would greet each other and ask how we were doing. A few weeks later, she invited me to see a movie with her family, and a few weeks after that, we attended a Catholic singer’s concert. We had a great conversation and she had wonderful questions about the faith. I realized I had more in common with her than I thought!
Want more advice for making friends as an adult? Click here.
God, in his abundant love and mercy, is eager to help us make meaningful connections with others. He is a God of relationships. He wants us to have good friendships and he knows just who to place in our path at the right time. All we have to do is be attentive and ask. He will take care of the rest.
Adriana Rivera is an Associate Content Creator at the Evangelical Catholic. The Evangelical Catholic’s mission is to equip Catholics to live out the Great Commission.
