Friendships

What is a friendship? Are all friendships created equally or meant to last? I've been struggling and thinking about this for a few months. Friendships change, people change, life changes...

Everyone defines a "friend" differently which is perfectly ok, just interesting. For me, if I meet person X today I don't call them my friend right away, they are an acquitance with the potential of being a friend. Others immediately call person x their friend. People often have different levels of friendships - best friend(s), close friend(s), good friend(s), friend, acquiantance, family or maybe something else.

If you check out Wikipedia, they help define what friendship is and the values.... "Values that is found in friendships is often the result of a friend demonstrating on a consistent basis":

- The tendency to desire what is best for each other
- Sympathy and empathy
- Honesty, perhaps in situations where it may be difficult for others to speak the truth
- Mutual understanding

Is a co-worker a friend or a co-worker? Co-workers often know more about our lives than our close friends and family, but if they leave the company or leave do you stay in contact with them? They know more about your lives just buy working with you 40 hours a week and the amount of interaction you have with them. However, when Friday comes at 5pm we generally say "goodbye, have a good weekend" and go on our seperate ways. Monday morning comes around and you find out how their weekend was. I'm sure there are exceptions and yes I've occassionally gone out with co-workers. Maybe this is one of those hybrid friendships/relationships....again, there is nothing wrong with it...

Are people in our lives for certain reasons or certain periods of time? Sometimes you have a friend, then something changes (new job, marriage, kids, move, social group change, church change) etc and you eventually lose touch. You're still friends and nothing is wrong. Was the friendship based on a connector and once the connector is gone, can the relationship continue how it was? I think people are brought into our lives for different reasons and different periods of time, some longer than others.

We also have those friendships that we're willing to fight for and not give up on, regardless of what's going on. Petty fights, verbal or physical brawls, hurt, disappointment, lies, backstabbing, money, theft and communications...I have friendships that as much as I've been hurt, I'm not given up on them.

Here are some cool quotes to ponder....and yes, I also need to think about these....

"Sometimes you pick your friends, sometimes they pick you."

"Friends are God's way of taking care of us."

"Every man should have a fair-sized cemetary in which to bury the faults of his friends." - Henry Brooks Adams

"An honest answer is the sign of true friendship." - Proverbs 24:26

"A friend means well, even when he hurts you. But when an enemy puts his hand round your shoulder - watch out!" - Proverbs 27:6