Three Good Friends

The other day as I watched This Is Us, one moment stuck out to me more than anything else during the sixty minute episode.

Jack and Rebecca notice only a few kids from Randall’s class have shown up for his birthday party.

They are heartbroken and angry when they see the almost empty backyard.

Deep down they believe it’s because he’s black, because he’s different from the other kids.

Like any good parent, they want to fix the problem. They don’t want to see their son treated differently or hurting, so they decide to take friends from Kevin and Kate’s party and send them to the backyard to make it appear like more kids are there to celebrate Randall’s big day.

There’s a moment between mother and son that undid me.

Randall walks into the house and Rebecca apologizes for the poor birthday party attendance.

I have three really good friends, and that’s a lot, and they all came to my party, Randall says.

I let his words sink deep into my heart and felt the warm tears flow down my face.

One of my biggest fears as a special needs mama is that my son won’t have friends. 

That he’ll be treated differently because of his differences.

He’s five-years-old and I’ve already seen it happen.

As someone who has struggled with friendship most of my life, I want to raise a son with a viewpoint like Randall’s. I want him to know that it’s not about having a million friends, but a few who will love him for exactly who God created him to be.

It’s taken me almost 35 years to learn this for myself.

When the world screams more, Jesus brings my heart back to what friendship looked like for him.

He had twelve disciples, but only three were considered his really good friends.

Only three.

One of my biggest prayers these days is for God to bring a little boy into Jackson’s life.

Jackson currently has two good friends – both girls – who I thank God for every day.

Now I pray a little boy would come along who loves trucks and trains and all the things little boys love.

Then he would have three good friends.

And that’s a lot.