FAMILY

Eri: What’s that?

James: It’s an invitation to a family reunion. Once every five years or so, someone in the family organizes one.

Eri: Are you going?

James: I’m not sure. It’s always a little awkward seeing extended family. Did you know that there used to be a big feud between my father and his brother?

Eri: No, what happened?

James: I’m not sure, but it was something that happened before they got married. My father held a grudge for years. Then, about eight years ago, they made up. There’s still no love lost between their wives, but at least there are no hard feelings between the two of them any longer.

Eri: So you’ll go to the reunion?

James: I’m not sure. My mother’s side of the family has always looked down on my father’s. She comes from old money and they didn’t approve of her marrying my father. It was really hard on my mother. She really looked up to her mother and they were really close before my father came along.

Eri: But that’s ancient history, isn’t it? Considering how things turned out, your grandmother can’t hold it against your mother for marrying your father.

James: You’ve never met my grandmother. One thing everyone knows about her is this: She doesn’t know the words to forgive and forget.

FRIEND

I used to be very shy.

I would not go up to someone that I did not know and say hello.

I was afraid that people would not want to talk to me.

I have changed.

I have become less shy.

I have learned that making friends is easy to do.

All you have to do is say hello.

Most people will respond to a smile and a friendly hello.

People will begin to talk to you about little things in their lives.

You will soon realize that you have something in common with that person.

Whenever I start talking to a new person I find that there is some interest that we share.

Maybe we know some of the same people, or we went to the same school.

Often we find that we like the same music or the same movies.

It is easy to have a conversation with someone once you find a topic that you both can relate to.

The most important part to making friends is to listen to what the other person says.

If you take an interest in them, they are sure to take an interest in you.

I have learned many things from meeting people.

I have had many fascinating conversations, and I have made a lot of good friends.

One day a girl came up to me and said that she was lost.

She couldn't find her way to her English class.

I said that I was going to that class too.

I told her to come with me.

We began talking, and we became very good friends.

That was a few years ago.

She is still one of my best friends.

Just think, if she hadn't been lost we might never have become friends.