Joy: Can you come on Saturday? I made this card for everyone.
| YOU ARE INVITED |
|---|
| Joy's 15th Birthday |
| Saturday, May 4 · 5:00 p.m. |
| Sun Park, near the ground floor gate |
| Bring one small gift under 200 dollars |
Ben: I would love to, but I have a piano class until five. Is it all right if I come at six?
Joy: Of course. We will still be eating then. Just send me a message when you leave.
Ben: Thanks. I will bring a photo book. Should I bring juice too?
Joy: No need. My neighbor is bringing all the drinks.
Would you like to meet someone new?
This term our school will try a partner program. Each student who joins will be given one partner from another class. The two of you will meet once a week for twenty minutes and talk about anything you like: a film, a pet, the type of music you play, or a hard week.
You do not need to become close friends. The only rule is that you behave with respect and that you come when you say you will. Many students say the hardest part is the first hello.
Dear Mrs. Wu,
Thank you for asking me to your family dinner on Tuesday. I am sorry to say that I cannot accept. My aunt from Tainan will arrive that evening, and I am the only one at home who can meet her at the station.
I hope this does not cause you any trouble. If you are free on Sunday, may I come then and bring the soup I promised? I can also bring my little brother, who has asked about your dog since last summer.
Please say hello to your husband for me, and tell Ping that I still have the photo we took.
Sincerely, Lin Mei
Most people say they would like more friends, yet in a room of strangers almost everyone looks at the floor. If we all want the same thing, why is the first word so hard?
One reason is that we think others are judging us, when in fact they are worried about themselves. A second reason is that we expect too much from one meeting. We hope for a terrific talk, and a short, plain one feels like a failure.
People who find it easy to make friends are seldom the one who makes everyone laugh. They are simply the ones who ask a second question, and who come back a week later. Friendship, it seems, depends less on what we say than on whether we show up again.