Friendliness
"Friendliness in taking an interest in other people, being warm and courteous. When you are a friend, you share the good times and the bad times together. Friendliness can be shown in a warm smile, a gentle touch, or a kind word. Friendliness is caring without being asked to care. It is the best cure for loneliness." -from the Virtues cards, with permission from The Virtues Project™
The following story about friendliness comes from Robin Cain, Virtues Project™ facilitator from McAllen, TX. It occurred when Robin taught at the Ocean of Light International School in Tonga.
"During the rainy season, when the children had been playing under the veranda for many days, a little six year old girl came to me saying "He wasn't being friendly." Curious, I asked her to tell me about that. She said "He won all my marbles." I began to explain that the game can end that way, intending to help her be selective about the games she chose to play in, but she gently asserted, "No it wasn't that he won my marbles, it was HOW he won my marbles," she said, gesturing a greedy attitude. We went to find my fifth grade student and I asked her to repeat what she told me to him. As soon as she explained, my student's face fell. This strong, popular boy held himself accountable to a six year old girl for being friendly. He suggested she join the next game and offered her the marbles to begin. She was happy with the restitution. I was enlightened by what I experienced. A six year old girl had the courage to hold an eleven year old boy accountable for friendliness. She didn't know the word for greedy and she didn't use the word mean. She asserted herself on friendliness, standard language in the Virtues Project."
Thanks for this inspiring story, Robin!
Questions for reflection:
- How can I show friendliness to others today?
- Who will I reach out to in friendliness?
- How have I shown caring when a friend needs me?
- How can I be friendly in a competitive or difficult situation?