One of the things that I have been particular about for most of my 52 years (and that’s only at least the halfway mark of the journey I intend to complete) is the nature of true friendship.

I draw a very hard line between friends and close acquaintances & so few really get the difference. Friends do not judge or question when it really matters, they lay down their lives physically & emotionally without question or expectation of reciprocity. Friends share thought & emotion without boundary and guard the importance of what is shared to their last breath. Friends are able to look each other in the eye & say the hard things including that it’s time to part ways for a while or for ever and understand/accept the situation. Friends consider and understand the consequences and accountability of the mutual trust.

Close acquaintances are what I consider those whom most count as friends. The difference is not meant to be insulting, these people are still important to me and the few I have ever met who think, feel & express their opinions as I do. I spend more time with this group than my friends, they are very important to me but do not know as much of me as my friends.

We live in a very superficial world but I will never sacrifice the importance of true friendship nor will I ever falter in the face of true friendship. Yes at time I will fail my friends as they will me due to the nature of life, human nature and the reality of people’s situations but we will always recover the situation no matter how much time & how many tears mark the wound.

I weep inside when I hear people say that the hundreds of people on their Facebook or MSN list are friends. They misunderstand the reality