Walking the Tightrope of Friendship

                                                         

Family and friends help us to get through life in several ways: by supporting us in our dreams; by encouraging us to keep going when the going gets tough; by playing Devil’s Advocate and reminding us that our desired route may lead to a dead end, but most importantly of all, by being there for us when our world comes crashing down.

Most of the time, when we are hurting there is no shortage of support and shoulders to cry on, but sometimes our towers of strength might not be willing or able to console us when they are fighting their own monsters. Friendship is a game of give and take, but like a balancing game, if we’re not careful with our demands; the tower comes toppling down.
                                                               

Having a good friend is worth all the gold in the world. A friend is family that we get to choose. How would you describe a good friend? Let's play a game. Pretend that you are the CEO of a big company and you are looking for a partner or assistant. What are the qualities that the people applying for the job need to have?
                                                             

First requirement on that hiring list would have to be dependability followed by loyalty, honesty, patience, compassion and most important, a healthy dose of humor. Now say, after several interviews, you've chosen your business associate or assistant. What can they expect from you? You know you have to give as much as you take...so will you be loyal, honest, patient, compassionate and, laugh even when things go wrong?
                                                                  

I have sisters and I have a daughter, so growing up, my sisters were my best friends even though I did try to kill my sister Jane (the middle child) a few times or give her away whenever the opportunity arose after she was born.

                                                                   

Now that my daughter is grown, she has stepped out from the role of a child relationship into the role of a friend...but make no mistake, the rules of friendship must be respected even when dealing with family.
                                                               

I love all my friends, but my daughter and sisters laugh because I keep my friends in separate categories: Childhood friends, Academy of Natural Science friends, Writers' Group friends, Biff Bam Pop friends, Ghost Hunting friends, Steampunk friends, zombie squad friends, Angel friends...I love them all equally but see them for different functions. I would love to get them all together under one roof some day. What a fun event that would be

                                                               

You can have one friend or many...it doesn't matter...what matters is how you treat them and how they treat you. I look for friends who are forgiving of my faults (which are many) and, who enjoy my craziness and quest for adventure. The friends I have are all like that and, that is why I love them.

                                                                

What do you look for in a friend?