pursuing people

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One of my favorite things in the world is to pull up some chairs and have a real, honest conversation with someone. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant - just a cup of tea over life talk, daily happenings, and awkward stories is enough for me. To me, conversations are like opening up a new window into someone's life. And the most wonderful part of it all is that the other person is allowing you to walk into their life, they're trusting you with a piece of them. That's gold to me.

But more than just the conversations, it's the relationships in our lives that are powerful. It's the ability to connect with people, whether you've known them for a few minutes or a few decades, and just be vulnerable with each other. Because when you're vulnerable with yourself and to others, you're willing to take on new perspectives and challenge yourself.

It's something I've had my mind on a lot lately. It's scary, isn't it? Trusting people with little pockets of your life and thoughts you've sometimes never voiced out loud before. Or maybe it's not something heavy on your heart. It might just be sharing with a friend or someone you just met how your week has been and what you've been up to lately. Even if the risks aren't high, you're still allowing someone into your daily life and that's personal.

Relationships are personal.

They are things to be treasured in life. And they are taken for granted far too often (in my opinion).

It's something I've really tried to be intentional about in my life this year. Pursuing people. Placing more value in the time I spend with my family and friends than the time I spend trying to find the best internship or planning for my unpredictable future.

I've found so much joy in it. Loving people in my life because Jesus first loved us. Whether it's those talks that keep me up till 5AM, those pillow talks I have with my roommates just before we close our eyes, or even those few sentences I exchange with my parents over the phone.

Which relationships in your life do you want to be intentional with? Or need to be intentional with? Go make a coffee/tea/boba/whatever drink floats your boat date with them and don't take for granted the people in your lives and the time you have with them.