Story and photography by Caroline Maxcy Fox

My daughter ran up to me the other day during one of those large church gatherings where hordes of kids are running around on the back lawn, and in tears said, “They said they didn’t want to be my friend.” My first reaction was heartbreak. Who in their right mind could not want to be friends with my precious daughter? And then I thought, well here we go, at age four she’s just embarking on the inevitable life of navigating friendships.

I gently let her know that it’s okay if someone doesn’t want to be friends with you—you can’t be everyone’s “cup of tea.” I’m sure there will be many “not wanting to be friends” moments, but I assured her that along the way you’re bound to find a few keepers, and if you are lucky there will be those first “do you want to be my friend” moments that could turn into a friendship that lasts a lifetime. I’m one of the lucky ones, standing 40 years down the road from a few of those simple moments that changed my life for the better.

Read the full article on Issuu >> Feb-Mar 2025 Issue