I noticed a thread hanging from the hem of my skirt. I pulled at the thread, thinking somehow that this would help. Or maybe I was annoyed that it was there and wanted it to go away and did the first impulsive thing that came to mind. I pulled it, and the hem began to fray even more obviously. 

Part of me believed that I would pull the thread with enough force that it would break, and my clothing would be aesthetically improved. Instead, I did more damage.

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I noticed a thread hanging from the hem of my skirt. I knew not to pull at the thread. So I ignored it. Maybe I hoped things just wouldn’t get worse. Or maybe I wanted to pretend I hadn’t noticed so I wouldn’t feel responsible for it. But every once in awhile, I noticed it again and had to choose to ignore it all over again.

Part of me believed that it would magically repair itself if I did nothing. Instead, it got worse. It caught on other things and eventually I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

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I noticed a thread hanging from the hem of my skirt. I got a pair of scissors and gingerly trimmed the thread. I was careful not to pull on it and cause more damage. But I knew it wouldn’t get any better if I ignored it. I wanted my clothing to last and to stay in good repair. 

I wasn’t sure what happened to the hem—what had caused that thread to be out of place. But the entire skirt wasn’t ruined. It was just one loose thread. One little piece that was no longer serving the health of the garment. I didn’t need to throw the entire article of clothing out. I just needed to care for it.

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What threads are hanging from the hems of your relationships? Are you tempted to throw out an entire relationship because of those threads? Or to treat those threads harshly so that the relationship suffers even more? Or are you more prone to ignore the threads and hope the relationship will magically repair itself if you do nothing? 

Or are you the kind of person who wants your relationships to last and stay in good repair? What is the perfect tool for you to gingerly tend the threads at the hems of your relationships? And what needs to happen within you to nurture a willingness to care for your threads wisely?