Do you want to have good relationships with people?
Do you want to have people you can depend on?
Do you want to have a strong marriage?
Do you want to have children that come to you with their joys and sorrows?
I think that almost all of us would answer these questions with, “YES!”
And I think there is one key to having all of these things.
Practice.
You have to practice being a good friend to have good friends.
You have to be dependable if you want people to depend on.
You have to work at a strong marriage to have one.
You have to be available to your children for the little “silly” things if you want them to come to you with the big things.
I heard it said once that you don’t get the benefits of being close without the practice. And it is true. You don’t just suddenly have great friends you can call at a moment’s notice. You don’t just magically have an amazing marriage. It takes work. It takes practice. It takes going through the good, the bad, and the ugly with others to get to the good stuff.
You have to make time for your friends and family. You have to plan fun things to do. You have to be available to them if you want them to be available to you. You have to share your heart if you want them to share theirs.
Is it always easy? Is it always fun? No. But it is necessary.
How is your practice going?