When She Crosses Your Mind
The Stories That Connect Us: A Note from One SisterFriend to Another
This month, I want to think about the stories that connect us. Not because every woman’s life is the same. It is not.
Culture matters.
Race matters.
History matters.
Privilege is real.
And every woman has not been safe, fair, or willing to stand beside us.
So when I speak about connection, I am not speaking through rose-colored glasses.
I am speaking about the moments when another woman’s story opens a door of recognition.
A conversation begins.
A detail sounds familiar.
A truth rises between us that says, “I understand something about that.”
Sometimes, even with different backgrounds, we recognize a shared reality.
The responsibility of caring for others.
The pressure to be strong.
The work of finding our voice.
The desire to live a life with purpose, dignity, joy, and connection.
Our differences do not disappear.
Sometimes, our shared humanity takes center stage long enough for wisdom, compassion,
and a connection to meet us there.
This is part of what The SisterFriend Network is here to make possible.
A place where women can recognize pieces of their own stories in the lives of others,
gather wisdom, and be encouraged to live good lives of fulfillment and connection.
This month, we will listen to the stories that connect us.
With love,
Belinda
SisterFriend Reflection: When She Crosses Your Mind
”We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”
—Maya Angelou
Have you ever had a woman cross your mind after you had no thought about her in a long time? At first, you may wonder, Why am I thinking about her today?
A few days later, there she is again. Not in front of you. But in your thoughts. A memory comes back. A conversation. A laugh. A time when your lives crossed more often than they do now. And you may try to move on with your day. But her name keeps returning. So you finally pick up the phone. Maybe reluctantly. Maybe wondering if she will think the call is strange. Maybe prepare yourself to say, “I know this is random, but you crossed my mind.” Then she answers.
Before you can explain too much, she says, “I was just thinking about you.” Or, “I’m so glad you called.” Or her voice relaxes in a way that tells you the call mattered. Just like that, the distance feels smaller. You begin to talk.
You asked about children, work, health, family, faith, and the thing she was struggling with the last time you spoke. One question opens another. A memory brings a laugh.
A word reminds you both that the connection is still there, even if time has passed. That small call becomes more than a call. It becomes a reach toward community.
Sometimes we think community has to begin with something large. A group. An event. A standing invitation. A full calendar. A circle waiting for us. But sometimes community begins when we pay attention to the woman who came to mind. It begins with a text that says, “I thought about you today.” A remembered birthday. A quiet prayer sent her way.
Small actions can remind a woman that she has not been forgotten. As we age, a small action can interrupt isolation. Ordinary acts can reignite a long-lost connection. I know reaching out
can feel uncomfortable.
Sometimes we worry that we are bothering someone. We wonder whether too much time has passed. We hesitate because we do not want to seem needy, awkward, or out of place.
Connection often asks for a little courage. Not dramatic courage. Just enough courage to reach out. Just enough courage to say, “You crossed my mind.” One small act of courage may not result in a long conversation, or a response we imagined or hoped for.
Small acts of mutual care and connection can open the door to a community with more honest conversation, more shared wisdom, and more encouragement than we expected.
Where Purpose Meets Strategy
Take 10 minutes this week.
Think about one woman who has crossed your mind recently.
Ask yourself:
Who has come to mind lately?
What do I genuinely want her to know?
What small action can I take to reconnect with her?
What would make reaching out feel simple enough?
Write one sentence that begins:
This week, I will reach out by_________.
May you notice the women who come to mind.
May you find enough courage to make a connection and build community?
May you realize you were never meant to do life alone?
In the comments, I’d love to hear: Is there one woman you could reach out to this week? One name, one word, or one small intention is enough.