Value of Friends

I love my friends and am extremely loyal to them. It was a crazy past that I've had with them. I used to call a friend's boyfriend and tell them off, if I heard they hurt one of my friends. I have gotten into fights with people that said or did something stupid to my friends. And I would give the shirt of my back for any of them that was in trouble. If someone becomes a friend of mine, he/she is a friend for life. They are like family to me.

It is hard, however, to get close to me. I don't trust people. And it's devastating when a "friend" does something hurtful to me. Because of this, I even keep my close friends at a distance. And may even seem fickle at times. But, I am slowly changing it. I am opening up more. And I realize that some people are just hurtful people, but I always have a choice whether to keep them or not. On the flip side, there are also some amazing people out there and if I don't reach out to them, how will I find them?

For the past couple of months, I have really tried to let down my guard and let myself show in all my wonderful and faulty glory: I talk a lot; I interrupt often; many of my conversations revolved around my husband; and I talk about inappropriate subjects at times (I'm still trying to figure out what makes a conversation inappropritate). My tongue is my worst enemy, but I am very sincere and I am very loving.

It's amazing how many people will open up to you when you open up to them. The past couple of months have resulted in many new aquaintances that I have enjoyed the company of. Unfortunately, not everyone will want to be my close friend or even have the time, but even nice aquantainces are fun to have. Each person has so much to offer and learn from. It's worthwhile to bump elbows with a new person, even if I'll only spend a few minutes in total with that person, during my life. These people leave little gems that enrich my day, if not my life.

I am fortunate to have amazing close friends. They are there when I need to run away from the world for a little bit, if I need a good laugh, if I need deep stimulating conversations, or even if I need someone to tell me that I am looking like a mess and need to do something with myself. These people are like hugs that I can carry with me all day - and I'm a sucker for hugs. Friends add so much to the quality of ones life. And obtaining friends has a simple formula: Be a friend to have a friend.