Real Friends vs Pretend Friends

As I was sitting in my meeting this morning, my friend suggested I blog every day.  Hmmmm…..do I really want to do that?  I mean, one more thing to take up time.  Later, as I drove away to my next stop, I thought, hmmmm….that could be fun.  Lord knows I have tons to talk about, even if no one wants to listen.
 
AND, since my friend suggested I blog, I’m going to begin by blogging about my friends.  They’ll LOVE that!  LOL!

When I taught high school, many moons ago, I had a student talk to me about her friends….her “good friends” that were real, and her “pretend friends.”  Yes, PRETEND FRIENDS.  Now I just don’t get this.  What is a pretend friend?  Why would you want a pretend friend?  Really?  She explained to me that a pretend friend was a friend that you pretended to like in the right social places but wasn’t a real friend at all.  Now how hurtful is that!  I was floored.  I always thought less of that student after that.  She went on to say that a real friend was someone that you could count on for everything and that you were a real friend to as needed.  I wonder if she knew she might be a pretend friend to some of her real friends.

To me, my “friends” are just that, friends, although some are techie friends and others are friends I actually know in real life.  I don’t have any pretend friends.  You either are a friend or you are not.  I can’t imagine calling someone a friend when I am only pretending to be their friend.  Seriously, that is rude. 

I hope that my friends would feel the same way about me that I do about them.  I want them to know I am there for them as needed, loyal and have their back at all times.  I will be there to make them laugh or sit with them when they cry and cry too.  I hurt when they hurt and celebrate when they celebrate.  They are like my family, in fact they are a part of my family.   AND, should they ever do something to annoy me, I will let them know or ignore it, because they are my friend.

My circle of friends has increased over the years as I have become “techie – ER!”  My students have become Facebook friends as have my high school classmates and even some of my high school teachers.  It’s been such a welcome exchange to make contact with all of them again.  What a joy to find that some of my students became grown ups and responsible adults, even mommies and daddies - and now my friends! 

Friends of friends are becoming my friends now.  I’ve loved hearing stories along the way about the friends that I hang out with now.  Bonds have been created with new people because of my friends. 

The more I think about my friends, the more I know I am blessed.