Following on from Monday’s declaration that this is the week of emotional posts, here’s one about friendship.
I am very fortunate that I know a lot of people.
Good people … bad people … weird people … twisted people … dodgy people … clever people … ridiculous people … funny people … emotional people.
Each and everyone of them has made a positive impression on me in some way.
But despite all that, I would say that I have very few friends.
Admittedly, a lot of that is because I have an utterly stupid criteria of what a friend is.
For a start, I have to have known them for a minimum of 6 years.
Then I have to know that if I called them in the dead of the night, having banged my big toe against the door, after they’ve abused me for waking them up, they’d then ask if I’m OK and whether I needed help.
I know … I know … it’s a bit pathetic. And insulting. But that’s how it is.
To be honest, this is probably why I would say – by my criteria – that I have a total, excluding my parents and wife [and cat, ha], of no more than 6 friends.
10 if I am feeling especially generous.
And in all honesty, I’m OK with that.
Don’t get me wrong, all the other people in my life are wonderful and I am very glad to know them, but those 6-10 people operate at a whole different level.
They understand me in ways very few do.
They never judge, but always guide.
They’re selfless in their generosity and compassion.
They have been by my side in both my best and worst of times. And stood firm.
In short, they make me a better person and help me experience a more enjoyable life.
They make me feel blessed and honoured to know them and I just hope they feel the same way about the friendship I give in return.
So to those 6-10 people, who I hope they know who they are, I want to say thank you.
You make my life so much more fulfilling and even though the decisions I’ve made mean that I don’t see you or talk to you nearly as much as I’d like to, want to or need to … you are always there, both in my mind and my heart and I am a much stronger person for knowing that.
One day I’d love you all to meet because I know very few know each other.
In all honesty, I don’t know if you’d all get along, but what I would like to do is sit you all in a room and play you this song by Free, because it pretty much sums up everything you make me feel.
Everything you do for me.
It’s amazing.
Thank you.
