How do you know when someone is actually your real friend? Is it because you never ever disagree with them at all? That you never have fights with them? I would say that if you never have fights or disagreements with your friend(s) then they are not really your friend at all, that would be more like they are your aquaintance than anything else. If you never fight or disagree then at least one of two things is happening, (a) you are not talking about anything that is likely to touch on and encounter strong emotions, beliefs, or opinions, or (b) if such topics are broached, then at least one of you is not speaking their full mind on how they feel about the subject. In either case that is not a display of real friendship. That is a diplay of politeness rather than showing your true nature, which is always what a real friend will do.
Also, a real friend will be the first to point our when you have done something or said something incredibly insensitive, half (if not fully) uninformed, or if you are just plainly horribly wrong. I am glad to have such friends as that, and my best friend in particular is incredibly good at both pointing out when I am wrong and taking my corrections when I know they are wrong. For some reason I am wrong far more often then they are, but then again I am far more outspoken and impulsive than they, so therefore far more likely to put my foot in my mouth (or my keyboard whichever the case might be). So thank you for doing that and taking the time and care to build up our friendship and pointing out so clearly and convincingly when I am wrong, even when it stings or even hurts a little bit when you first do it.
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17 years ago
I was hoping you had continued to share your thoughts to the world but alas, it seems that is not so. Please do so. I encourage it. Everyone has something to share, yours in particular I tend to value. On the issue of friends. Yes, true friends will show their core nature to you. Unfortunately, we, as a whole, show very few people that nature and seem to find comfort in only showing people that surface level but seems to be our lives are still in search of some kind of fulfillment? Imagine if everyone you met showed you their true core nature on your initial meeting? How different things would be. Luckily, you and I are fortunate enough to have found/are finding that nature more and more each day rather than running from it as some do. That's a priviledge I hold dear.
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