Together Where The Sun SetsFriendship ...
I'm not sure what the qualities of being a good friend really are.
Over the years, I have had many friends, but the people I call my "best friends" now live far and away. Most of the people I now hang around with are more like acquaintances than friends.
A couple of guys with whom I work out or swim are pretty good friends, but I rarely see them socially. Mostly that is my fault. Through most of my life, I have had one good friend, also usually my lover, and I don't seem to have time for anyone else.
My artist friends are fun to be around, but like me, artists need a lot of space. I appreciate that. I certainly need space as well.
I hang around with my kids a fair bit, but I don't call them "friends." They are my favourite people, of course, but I'm not one of those people who obsess and demand constant attention from them. They have their own lives and their own friends.
I've had a few "We'll always be good friends" scenarios when a romance goes sour and the tragedy of it all seems too much to bear without some sort of lingering connection. These "friendships" are typically too hard to maintain over very much time — too much emotional tossing and turning, I guess.
I've had "friends-with-benefits," but those scenarios tend to be short-lived as well. Usually, one of the people involved inevitably starts to develop feelings and falls in love, which, if unrequited, leads to resentment and eventually a parting of the lays, so to speak.
Then there are my blog friends. They make up a special kind of friendship, always supportive and caring.
I can't imagine a life without any friends. Well, yes I can actually, because there have been times when I felt terribly alone.
I should have bought a dog.
I'm not sure what the qualities of being a good friend really are.
Over the years, I have had many friends, but the people I call my "best friends" now live far and away. Most of the people I now hang around with are more like acquaintances than friends.
A couple of guys with whom I work out or swim are pretty good friends, but I rarely see them socially. Mostly that is my fault. Through most of my life, I have had one good friend, also usually my lover, and I don't seem to have time for anyone else.
My artist friends are fun to be around, but like me, artists need a lot of space. I appreciate that. I certainly need space as well.
I hang around with my kids a fair bit, but I don't call them "friends." They are my favourite people, of course, but I'm not one of those people who obsess and demand constant attention from them. They have their own lives and their own friends.
I've had a few "We'll always be good friends" scenarios when a romance goes sour and the tragedy of it all seems too much to bear without some sort of lingering connection. These "friendships" are typically too hard to maintain over very much time — too much emotional tossing and turning, I guess.
I've had "friends-with-benefits," but those scenarios tend to be short-lived as well. Usually, one of the people involved inevitably starts to develop feelings and falls in love, which, if unrequited, leads to resentment and eventually a parting of the lays, so to speak.
Then there are my blog friends. They make up a special kind of friendship, always supportive and caring.
I can't imagine a life without any friends. Well, yes I can actually, because there have been times when I felt terribly alone.
I should have bought a dog.
There are friends I miss, friends I wonder about, friends I will never see again, and friends who have passed away. My sweetheart is my best friend. My siblings are family, and while we are friendly, loving, and supportive of one another, we are not "friends." We like it that way. I know a few neighbors, and we are cordial to one another, but we are not friends. That's OK, too. There are a few online friends I would like to know in person, but that will never happen. Such is life!
ReplyDeleteI have friends that come in and out of my life. I'd agree that most people are acquaintances. I think personal space is valued and I've insisted on it more as I've grown older. I don't rush to answer that call or have to get over to see do and so cause its been a couple of weeks. Priorities change with life and sometimes that affects friendships too. I've outgrown friends too that continue the same boring journey do I quietly moved on. The special friends ate there thru thick and thin. I do enjoy the positive uplifting blogging friends I've grown fond of. Happy Tuesday :)
ReplyDelete"I've outgrown friends too that continue the same boring journey do I quietly moved on."
DeleteIt's funny how some people don't really "grow up" and continue to do the same things that become juvenile as one grows older. Drunks, druggies, users, losers ... all a part of the past now.
Yes, I have friends who have passed away as well. I didn't mention that in the piece, but I do remember them fondly, at least for the good times we had.
ReplyDeleteNo friendship is perfect.
my daughter and I are best friends and my grandson and I are best buddies, if I had a lover he would be a best friend too...
ReplyDeletedogs make great friends, but at this stage in the game I can barely keep up with myself LOL
"dogs make great friends, but at this stage in the game I can barely keep up with myself"
DeleteI love dogs, but I also love to travel, and it's not fair to have someone look after the poor pooch while I'm away ... so, although I would love a dog, I don't suspect I'll have one in the near future.
*sigh* I wrote a long comment, and was disconnected.
ReplyDeleteSigh ~~~
DeleteI have two people I consider my best friends. One lives in Indiana, I grew up with her, we were friends when we were babies in diapers. She probably knows everything there is to know about me and she loves me anyway haha. The other is a lady I met on 360 several years ago. We connected from the start and one summer I drove up to visit her and she was just as genuine a person as I thought she was online. She also knows me well, the good, the bad, the ugly etc. I would trust these two with my life.
ReplyDeleteThere are online people I consider friends and others are just acquaintances. I think a good friend accepts us for who we are.
The whole friends with benefits thing, well I just don't like that because usually one does become more emotionally involved than the other and a good thing is ruined and they part ways.
I don't call very many people "friend" at least not in the true sense of the word.
You can never measure friendships by numbers. One "true" friend is worth the thousands that might call you their friend but have little real interest in you or your well-being.
DeleteI'm glad you said that, because I always hear people say "you can never have too many friends" and I always think, but don't say "how many of those people are True friends, how many would run at the first sign of trouble?" I think people would be very disappointed to find out how many true friends they really have.
Delete'I'm not sure what the qualities of being a good friend really are.' ~
ReplyDeleteI think everyone's got their own idea on what makes a good friend. Whatever that may be..I know they're hard to come by.