Friendship

What is a best friend? What does it take to be a good friend? As I get a little older, I am realizing that true friends are harder and harder to come by. When I say TRUE FRIENDS or BEST FRIENDS I mean the exact same thing. I mean someone that will give me the cold, hard truth about anything and everything knowing that I just might not love hearing it. That means that I can do the same for them not having to be afraid that our friendship will be over. I have a friend that I call my soul mate friend, and we always joke that we are such good friends that if we ever killed anyone we would tell each other. Don't be alarmed...it wouldn't happen, but that's how much we trust each other. That is the kind of friendship I'm talking about.  It means that we could go five, ten or even twenty years without seeing each other but pick right back up where we left off without any awkwardness.

I have been extremely blessed throughout my life with several really great friends. I actually haven't had too many terrible experiences. I just know when it's time to let go of friends. It hasn't always been easy because there was something, at some time that attracted me to the friendship but I have had to in order to feel good about my life and to just be real.

My two best friends are of the same name, different spelling. They are girls that I can be my complete self around, no bs'ing (maybe a little of that). That feels so good, so free'ing. I know that I comfort them when they are going through something and I know that I can go to them when I have something to celebrate or something that I need support with. I have had these two best friends since I can remember--one since elementary and one since middle school. I love to know many people but be super close with just a few.

I love following Jada Pinkett Smith on Facebook because I think she is extra wise. She posted this a week or so ago:

"Letting Go.

I have a friend that I had to lovingly let go. We had very different perspectives on what being a friend meant. There was no right or wrong...just different. Unfortunately, we lacked the ability to find a happy medium that made our friendship enjoyable, and we went our separate ways. Today, I realized that the ability for two people to separate, for the reason that you care for the other so much and desire them to be happy and accepted for who they are without question or doubt, IS a gift of friendship. We were able to take care of ourselves as well as one another. This experience gave me a different definition of "friendship", and that at times "friendship" can come in forms we don't recognize.

I am grateful for the lesson.
J"