What makes a friend a friend?

I got to thinking. As I get older and things change and people change, I stopped and thought about my friends. What's in a friend? Someone you have know for a gazillion years? A person you tell everything to? You hang out together all the time? No fights or arguments? I for one am the type that can get along with everyone. I am warm and inviting also. At the same time, I can spot bullshit instantly and I am a good judge of character at first converstation usually. It's funny because I remember when I was a little girl probably in 6th grade my mother told me I would never have any friends because of my attitude. I didn't believe her and I can say I have proven her wrong. I have my fair share of friends. The ones I talk to almost daily, the ones I see periodically, the ones I party with and the ones I have had a fallen out with once or twice in the past. Some of these friends fall in more than one of these categories.

The ones I talk to daily. Not many of these right here. I only say that because over the years the numbers have decreased. I look back on when I was ten years younger and remember how I had so many of these daily talker friends. As our lives evolved and each of us started doing different things, we called less. So I have a good 2-3 that I talk to daily or every other day.

The ones I see periodically. These friends I see when we find time in our busy schedules to meet up. Some of these also are almost daily talkers as well. These are the ones I go see at their home or they come and see me. We may decide to get something to drink on and get to talking and what not.

My party folks. My party folks are the ones I have a lot of fun with. The great thing about my party friends is they know how to do it reasonably. We have lives that consist of jobs, and some has children. Can't just be partying all week. Who still does that? I think because it's not very often when we go we have fun. Now don't get me wrong. I would party more if I could. Just because it's nice to be out and listen to music and enjoy yourself. There just isn't enough nice places in my age group, without the knuckle heads and chicken heads, that I would like to go to. So my selection is limited.

My fallen outs. These are the craziest of them all. I don't know what it is. What I do know is that I will not do it more than twice. To me it's too much of a headache and not worth it. A lot goes into the consideration of rekindling. It depends on the circumstances as to why the fallen out happened anyway. I don't hold grudges. Never have. That's not my style. One I had a fallen out with I ca;me to the realization that she is as bullheaded as I am and we just need breaks every now and then. So I just said to her, "I guess we need breaks sometimes" and she agreed.

So for me many reasons go into why you are a friend of mine and I have to say that I am blessed to have such a array of different types. Some I've known from junior high, the others from high and the others from work with a couple of them not falling in any of the above. I don't have sisters so I think of my friends and family. We have our moments. Who doesn't. At the tender young age of 31 I have learned a lot of things as I have gotten older. Friends are important, they will come and go. They will piss you off royally. But those true "friends" are here to stay. No matter what and I think I have found my group of them.