“But I’m Afraid”

Public speaking. Heights. Snakes.

Maybe these fears top your list as they do mine. Or not.

True confession: friendship sometimes takes a place on my Top Ten Fears list. Ironic, I know, because I just wrote a book about friendship.

Let me explain.

On any given day, a million, or at least three or so, questions come to mind that give me pause as I consider connecting with flesh and blood people.

Time. Can I/should I interrupt my day with its self-imposed goals for conversation? Deadlines and commitments matter, don’t they? More than conversation?
Energy. Do I have enough zip in my tank to build into someone else’s life today? I’m weary and out of gas myself more days than I would like to admit.
Tidiness. I like order, structure, predictability. Can I/should I push aside the tidiness of my day for the sake of building a relationship today?

So . . . I wrestle.

What about you? What makes you hesitate about jumping into friendship? (Next week we’ll talk about what draws us into friendships.)

And thank you, wise friends, for joining this ongoing conversation.