It is easy and natural to be with friends who are already present in your life. There is no obligation for you to do otherwise, except, beloveds, you do want to leave room for new people in your life. At least, you do not want to ignore others. You do not want to overlook others. You don't want to leave out new people as if they do not exist. If you are part of an inner circle, you don't want to become exclusive. You don't want to be unaware of others. Consideration belongs to all, not just to those you already know. Remember to welcome new people. Once upon a time, you were a new person too, and someone welcomed you. And now you return the favor, not that it is a favor, but just a fine thing to do.

You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, and you can do anything you want, of course, and, yet, I am asking that you not be exclusive. I understand you are comforted by being in a particular circle. I understand that you have your favorite people, of course, and you cannot spend time with everyone all the time. You may have felt that you have to draw a line. I am suggesting that you watch this about drawing lines. I suggest you be careful about deciding who is in and who is out. Do not let there be a stranger in your midst. If one is not in, it doesn't have to mean that he or she is out.

When new neighbors move in, you often welcome them, and that is good for your heart and theirs. This is customary. There are also other groups and situations where you may overlook those who sit on the sidelines. You are so enrapt in your present friendships and what you have to say to each other that you may forget that there are other people who would welcome a word from you. Welcome all newcomers, beloveds. I am asking that you remember there are people other than those you are already most comfortable with.

There are groups in the world that make it a policy to welcome new people. It is all written in. I would like to ask you to write the concept of welcoming new people into your heart. I know you are happy with getting and giving strokes from the people you already know, and now I would like to suggest that you also give attention to those who are new. Close no one out, not deliberately and not by being preoccupied either.

Of course, you are going to have your group of friends, and yet I ask you to not let your group become closed. I understand that a clique strengthens your sense of camaraderie. Now I ask that you strengthen someone else's camaraderie. Let a circle include rather than exclude or ignore. Not that you would ignore anyone on purpose. It's just that you forget.

You cannot be best friends with everyone, yet you can also let no one be a stranger.

A word of welcome goes a long way. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, may you a welcomer be, a noticer, an acknowledger that someone new has presented himself, and he too is worth your notice. You know by now that you are welcoming Me. You are welcoming yourself. You are adding to the good will in the world. You are becoming an extender of My love. You are a receiver of the love you give, the courtesy you give, the good manners you reveal and set an example for. You are My ambassador. A simple Hello will do. A simple "Glad you are here" will do. A smile will do. A handshake will do. Just remember the newcomer.