3 words

[SS91]

3 words

There are many things that we can do to perk up and strengthen our

 interpersonal relationships. Yet the most effective involves the saying of

 just three words. When spoken or conveyed, these statements have the power

 to forge new friendships, deepen old ones and restore relationships that

 have cooled.

 

 The following three-word phrases can enrich every relationship.

 

I'll be there.

 If you have ever had to call a friend in the middle of the night, to take

 a sick child to hospital, or when your car has broken down some miles from

 home, you will know how good it feels to hear the phrase "I'll be there."

 Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give. When we

 are truly present for other people, important things happen to them and

 us. We are renewed in love and friendship. We are restored emotionally and

 spiritually. Being there is at the very core of civility.

 

I miss you.

 Perhaps more marriages could be saved and strengthened if couples simply

 and sincerely said to each other "I miss you." This powerful affirmation

 tells partners they are wanted, needed, desired and loved. Consider how

 ecstatic you would feel, if you received an unexpected phone call from

 your spouse in the middle of your workday, just to say "I miss you."

 

I respect you.

 Respect is another way of showing love. Respect conveys the feeling that

 another person is a true equal. If you talk to your children as if they

 were adults you will strengthen the bonds and become close friends. This

 applies to all interpersonal relationships.

 

Maybe you're right.

 This phrase is highly effective in diffusing an argument and restoring

 frayed emotions. The flip side to "maybe your right" is the humility of

 admitting, "maybe I'm wrong". Let's face it. When you have a heated

 argument with someone, all you do is cement the other person's point of

 view. They, or you, will not change their stance and you run the risk of

 seriously damaging

 the relationship between you. Saying "maybe you're right" can open the

 door to further explore the subject, in which you may then have the

 opportunity to get your view across in a more rational manner.

 

Please forgive me.

 Many broken relationships could be restored and healed if people would

 admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. All of us are vulnerable to

 faults, foibles and failures. A man should never be ashamed to own up that

 he has been in the wrong, which is saying, in other words, that he is

 wiser today than he was yesterday.

 

I thank you.

 Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who enjoy the

 companionship of good, close friends are those who don't take daily

 courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their friends for their

 many expressions of kindness. On the other hand, people whose

 circle of friends is severely constricted often do not have the attitude

 of gratitude.

 

 Count on me.

 A friend is one who walks in when others walk out. Loyalty is an

 essential ingredient for true friendship; it is the emotional glue that

 bonds people. Those that are rich in their relationships tend to be steady

 and true friends. When troubles come, a good friend is there indicating

 "you can count on me."

 

Let me help.

 The best of friends see a need and try to fill it. When they spot a hurt

 they do what they can to heal it. Without being asked, they pitch in and

 help.

 

 I understand you.

 People become closer and enjoy each other more if they feel the other

 person accepts and understands them. Letting your spouse know in so many

 little ways that you understand them, is one of the most powerful tools

 for healing your relationship. This applies to any relationship.

 

Go for it.

 We are all unique individuals. Don't try to get your friends to conform

 to your ideals. Support them in pursuing their interests, no matter how

 weird they seem to you. Everyone has dreams, dreams that are unique to

 that person only. Support and encourage your friends to follow

 their dreams. Tell them to "go for it."

 

I love you.

 Perhaps the most important three words that you can say. Telling someone

 that you truly love them satisfies a person's deepest emotional needs. The

 need to belong, to feel appreciated and to be wanted. Your spouse, your

 children, your friends and you, all need to hear those

 three little words. "I love you."

 

 

GOD BLESS YOU! (These are 3 words too, right?)