How many of us have them?

The best compliments that I ever got was from one of my best friends. He said that my "friend maintenance" was top-notch and that it made him optimistic that he would be able to maintain the friendships from earlier in his life just like his own father had been able to do with his college buddies.




Inside it took me back a bit. I was shocked! I really didn't know HOW to respond to such a statement. It was a private confesion of sorts and by me having just started the transitioning into adulthood, this was my first exposure to mature matterss. But a response was in order, and in my own characteristic fashion, I acknowledged his perspective and returned the feeling, in kind, that I appreciated his friendship just the same.

There are older folks out there who say that one should allow friendships to fall by the wayside. However, I'm not an advocate of such beliefs. Like all things in love, if the feeling is not reciprocated(or even the work needed to maintain the friendship is not reciprocated) then by all means, let the arrangement falter. However, if there is a concentrated effort by both parties(or all involved) then I feel that friendships should last all throughout life. No matter the distance or experiences one party goes through while the others involved may go through different experiences. I believe that if we can share those moments and accept them for what they are, then a friendship is needed. Those private moments or those shared, private moments where we can let our guard down and expose ourselves to those who care.

Besides, it is in those moments when Life happens, those times that make us reach out(sometimes blindly) for help from a caring soul. And its those folks that we call FRIEND that reach back to help us out!