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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

About Friendship...

"Friends can help each other. A true friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself--and especially to feel. Or, not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at the moment is fine with them. That's what real love amounts to--letting a person be what he really is." ~Jim Morrison

I've had cause to wonder over this weekend what kind of friend I am. A good friend? A bad friend? What is a friend really?

Dictionary.com (my go-to source when I need something defined) defines a friend as:
–noun
1. a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
2. a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter: friends of the Boston Symphony.
3. a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile: Who goes there? Friend or foe?

By this definition then I'm definitely friends with a lot of people. I believe there are different levels of friendships and I know that I make friends easily. This may be in variance to the fact that sometimes I don't really care for people... in another time and place - an alternate universe? - there is a very antisocial me. It is this that makes me wonder. Am I too cold sometimes, too self-centered? Too clean, too precise? I tend to compartmentalise things... there may be shades of gray but each shade has its specific place in my mind.

I have acquaintances, friends from primary school, secondary school, university, work, friends of the family, friends I've made abroad, friends of friends. All of these share a common denominator - I care. I may not speak to you, I may not see you for years,  I may forget your name (or your face... or get those confused)... I may even be mad at you or we may have parted ways in an unpleasant way... but I do care. About how you are, your family, your hopes and dreams, I wish you well. I may not call or text or message via facebook or twitter or whatever other social networking site available but I do think about you. If you cross my mind a smile and a wish for your well-being crosses as well.

In fact, Winnie the Pooh says it best:
"If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together…there is something you must remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart…I'll always be with you."
Striving to be a friend,
Ren


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