Yes, that is a line from the "Full House" theme song. No, that is not what this article is about.
I have the unique opportunity to attend a school where when I (inevitably) fall short, fall apart, or fall in general, someone that I know is close by. And that person is ready to stretch their hand out to me and help me put myself back together. It doesn't really matter if I know the person remarkably well, or at all. There is a bond that should join us all together in spite of petty disagreements, social clubs and even Makin' Music. That bond is Jesus. It is so easy for us to only help those that have helped us, or to love only within the limits of our established group of friends.
It should be a goal for us to be as generous and bountiful in love for others as Jesus was for us. We have to stop labeling other people by their social clubs, friend groups, or majors. Identify others by the fact that they are just as deserving of love as you are, and be a friend to everyone you see.
I am very aware that it is difficult, and it will probably be met by confusion. People tend to stick to their own friend groups and talking to someone you don't know can be pretty scary. It is especially difficult to meet new people when we focus on what separates us instead of what unites us. So how do we be the person that reaches out to anyone that they see struggling? How do we be a light to a whole city, instead of just our local subdivision?
1. Be a child.
When we were younger, we could walk up to a random group of other children and instantly join in to whatever game they were playing. You believed you had an innate right to be a part of whatever group you saw. I am not suggesting that we throw all consideration for other people's private space to the wind here. There are situations and times that it is not appropriate to walk up to a random group of strangers and introduce yourself. However, this does not mean that you have an open pass to seclude yourself from all activities, or that you have no obligation to be kind and welcoming to anyone you meet.
Bring a little bit of that childlike welcome back. Be fearless in your pursuit of friendship and your reward is going to be so worth any struggle.
2. Remember that everyone else is struggling just as much as you are.
People can be very intimidating for me. Particularly people who have gained some sort of title or power. I rarely feel comfortable talking to someone who has their life figured out. Well, here is the secret that I am learning: the people that you perceive as having the perfect life are fighting their own demons just like you are. Perhaps their battle is not shown as outwardly as yours. Perhaps they are too intimidated to reveal their struggles. One thing I know for sure is that our faith is a process and no one is ever complete.
Lean on those people around you for comfort. Chances are, one of the people you confide in are going, or have gone through the same situations. Galatians 6:2 commands us to "bear one another's burdens," and yet we decide not too because we are afraid of being embarrassed. Since when was the Bible a suggestion? We are called to lift one another up and to be a community of believers, not a clan of secret-keepers.
3. Focus on the light instead of the dark.
Human beings have this nasty habit of focusing the negative things in life. I could be having a great day, the weather could be perfect, I could have wonderful plans with my friends later. Yet if someone says something negative, or if something does not go exactly the way I want it, I will dwell on the negative outcomes for the rest of the day. Why? Why can we not focus on the blessings which so clearly outweigh the bad? People are people, we mess up and we do bad things. This doesn't make us a bad person, and it definitely does not make us less deserving of love.
I am so thankful for my school and my friends. The relationships I have made here will impact my life for the rest of eternity. The the lessons I've learned have been invaluable, but I'm more grateful for the lessons that I have seen. Everyday I am blessed to witness acts of kindness, the love of God personified through His people.
They say that good friends are hard to find, but I must disagree.
