Hello friend?

It amazes me that the people that call you friend, but in time you wonder how much of a friend they are. I was raised to be kind and thoughtful to everyone, especially your friends. Then in the military, I learned that you should go through thick and thin for your friends and that was to go both ways. You don't lean on your friends or abuse the relationship by overburdening them. You take care of yourself first, but if your in real deep, your real friends are there.

We all have those friends that you only hear from when they need something. After a while you see the number on caller ID and you let it go to voice mail and then you return the call when you feel like it. That's the friend that you've gone the extra mile for, done things to help out that no one else would, but you don't hear from them until the next issue which might be for some time. They don't call to see how you've been, how's your health or anything like that. They call because you're needed for something they know they can depend on you for.

 

That's not friendship.

You can have friends that you don't stay in close contact with and stay friends. You've been through think and thin with this friend and you look back on a memory with a smile on your face. You call, email or text them to just say hi. You tripped across a memory that brought a smile to your face and you needed to share that memory with them.

If you're reading this and are wondering if I'm talking about you, maybe you should reconsider how our relationship is working. Am I talking about you? Are you that friend? Are you really a friend? Did I make you think of a situation with someone else? Are they a convenient friend?

Friendships are easy to maintain. All you have to do is be a true friend.