On 45 Years of Friends

For 45 years, I have been a friend and had many friends.

Even after all this time, I am surprised by all the wonderfulness that makes being a friend new all the time.

All Kinds of Friends

I have friends I have never met in person.

I have friends who are old lovers. I am amazed at how much — and how differently — I still love them.

I have friends who I hardly ever talk to. Not on Facebook or email or in person. But I can call them up and it’ll be as if nothing has changed and no time has passed.

I have friends in Asia and Australia and Europe and South Africa and South and North America too.

I have friends who are as old as my parents. I have friends who are young enough to be my kid.

I have friends all different colors, who speak different languages too.

I have friends that I spend quite of bit of time with, but I can honestly say I hardly know at all.

I have friends who are generous. I have friends who are generally takers. Both are fine.

I have friends who are introverts and friends who talk right over the top of me.

I have friends who are conservative. And those who would give every corner of their world away.

I have friends who are messed up. Like, really messed up. They are still normal. Some are getting help, and some don’t want it.

I have friends that get me. I have friends who I really enjoy, but who don’t really get me.

I have friends who are also my family. I have family that happen to be just friends and not related to me at all.

I have friends I’ve had to leave behind, and friends who’ve dumped me, too, like bag of rancid trash.

It Isn’t Conditional

What have I learned all this time from all these people?

I guess I learned we all take each other for granted.

That people love each other, but they are busy in their own minds and with their own plans most of the time.

That friendship is easy, and it isn’t. That is takes effort, and it doesn’t.

That people really do get their feelings hurt, but that doesn’t mean that the hurting was done intentionally.

That friendship is love; so for that reason, isn’t conditional, even if some friendships maybe feel that way.

That love doesn’t end, even if a friendship does.