“I love you. You matter. You are not alone. I am here for you.”

Share Now

Ray and I were an hour from home when we finished a late afternoon appointment yesterday. It was suppertime so we decided to eat in the small city halfway between the doctor’s office and home. I said, “If we’re going out to eat, let’s see if [our friends] want to go with us.” When Ray called them, our friend said, “Why don’t you come on over and take a rest and we’ll talk about what to do.”

When we arrived, he came to the door while she continued to sit at her sewing machine, working on a project. Ray sank into their comfy recliner beside the sewing table, and I stood nearby, sharing some recent anecdote. These friends exude comfortable, easy, friendly, familiar hospitality. Wherever we are in their house, whatever the time of day when we are there, we are at home.

Ray suggested Cracker Barrel meatloaf as his first choice for supper, and we all were fine with Cracker Barrel. As we walked to our car to ride together, I saw their pot of lettuce and asked if they had had any yet. She said she had pulled some off for supper. She told me about the great deal she had gotten on a rare treat of ribeye for their dinner. I felt even more appreciation for the companionship when I realized they had laid aside specific plans to be with us.

Ray and I each had an errand to do in a certain shopping area before we would be ready to drive home.  We were all almost finished with supper when Ray realized that it was less than a half hour until closing time at Staples, which was where he needed to go. He suggested that we all go together to do our errands before we took them home. They didn’t mind, so we piled into the car and then enjoyed browsing the office supplies at Staples. After that, they dropped me off at the door of Walgreens to pick up some photo prints. As I neared the automatic door, I thought, “They have time for us.” Then I thought, “That’s not right. They make time for us.”

Now that’s the perfect way to say: “I love you. You matter. You are not alone. I am here for you.” As Mr. Rogers used to say, “It’s such a good feeling, a very good feeling . . . . ,” and it’s a feeling that you and I want our loved ones to feel deeply.

Finding an illustration for this post was a little challenging, so how about this one with Walgreens and more at Time Square in 1952?

Times Square street scene by Angelo Rizzuto, 1952,
courtesy of Library of Congress

Demonstrating “I love you. You matter. You are not alone. I am here for you” is one way to obey what Jesus called the second greatest commandment.

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:39

Later, Jesus declared that love for one another would be the identifying characteristic that tells the world that we follow Jesus.

“A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one another,
even as I have loved you,
that you also love one another.
By this all men will know
that you are My disciples,
if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35

Share Now