Friendship

Hi there! It's been a while since I blogged. Sorry about that. The Thanksgiving holiday treated my family and me well. We did the traditional Turkey, dressing and such. It was just the husband and I and the kids. Nice and quiet. And boy did that new stove I just got get its workout! I was hotter than heck in here! My oldest daughter and I did the early morning Black Friday shopping and got a few deals and an early start on the Christmas shopping. We spent the rest of the weekend relaxing and watched a lot of Christmas movies. It was pretty perfect.

Today I want to talk about friendship. I was very badly burned by a couple of "friends" these last few days. It has really made me analyze what friendship means to me. I think on the top of list are a few fundamental things: Honesty, Trust, Consideration and Courtesy. I think of most of my friends as extended family. I always put them first. Their needs before mine. I guess I figure they do the same. I am learning that it is not always that way. I suppose in some ways I am still very naive about the world and more specifically, the people in it. I have always been a little more "book smart" and not so great with "street smarts" or "people smarts". I try not to judge others, friends, acquaintences, or otherwise. But I still think it comes down to those original basic fundamentals. You must be honest - you should know what to expect out of the relationship, and what you are going to need to put into it yourself. Can you tell this person the brutal honest truth when needed and know when to hold back? Can you in turn take the brutal truth from this person if they feel you need it? Trust: Can you tell this person anything? Can you vent without judgement? Can you trust this person to come into your life? They will be integral in your family life, leisure life, or possibly work life. Are they considerate? Do they feel your feelings? Do they care if yours get hurt? And will they be there patting your back if they do get hurt? Courtesy - just basic common courtesy - will they use it?

So many variables in what should be an easy thing. I have learned that it's not so easy.

I am kind of at a loss here. I would value any comments you readers might have to make me believe in friendship again. For now I stay home. I hold my family that much closer and am SO grateful that God gave me the best friends ever when I was blessed with my husband and my oldest daughter.