my friend lulu and i have known each other for more than 30 years. we know each other's likes and dislikes and when we're together, it is actually scary because we think almost alike, even though our personalities are so different. we are each other's emotional support; we are each other's rock; we are friends through thick and thin; we are friends through sick and sin.
i believe friendship is a series of circles within a big circle, with all the people you like (and who like you back) and trust enough to be your friends. the smaller the circle, the lesser people it contains but your respect and love for each other are deeper; and inside the innermost circle that is where your few dearest friends are.
my friends are friends no matter what - i can make the biggest boo-boo in the world and they will be there for me; and no matter how much people tell me these friends are bad, i am there for them as i am fiercely loyal to and protective of my friends. the people in my inner circles are friends for whom i will perform CPR (and actually remember what i learned in the training); for whom i will write obituaries (although i hope they'd write mine first); for whom i will bake 600 muffins if i knew how; for whom i will pose naked if they ask (although i'm sure none of them would want that aggravation). the closer they are to the centre of my circle, the more i trust them, the more i love them, the more i protect them.
my true and best friends do not grovel when i don't call, or when it seems i've forgotten them; or do not get jealous when i spend more time with another friend; or don't let anyone hurt me in any way, the way i won't let anyone hurt them. and they know when to call me or when not to bug me. my friends are the people who feel secure enough in our friendship that they know which part of the circle they're in.
@alia_801 - thank you, alia. i used to have different best friends at different points in my life, but we either lost touch over the years or grew apart or the friendship turned sour. so i thought are they still my best friends? you really want to still keep them in your circle but the degrees of closeness really varies as time goes, so i think the circles make sense. at least that's my story and i'm sticking to it. :-)
honest, open explanation of relationships many of us seek but fail to find, or find only to have slip through our fingers through neglect or ego. such a lovely portrait of your friend. she is so beautiful. what a smile!
@karenann - thank you, karenann. my bff lives in the west coast about 5 hours behind my time zone :-( so i don't have her handy.
@bkbinthecity - thank you, brian.
@pamfromcalgary - thank you, pam.
@ataylor - thank you, A-M.
@cscecil - thank you, CS. lulu is not as crazy as i am, though!
@catsmeowb - thank you, camille. she read all the comments here and i think her ego's over inflated now. :-)