I have been thinking about what constitutes a friend.....I mean a "true" friend. There are acquaintances, friends, and then there are Friends with a capital "F". I have a very small group of friends, and an even tinier group of Friends.
I will focus on a Friend.....the elusive one with the capital F. And, since I was reared in the era where we used the singular third person masculine pronoun, I will refer to such a friend as a "he".
A Friend is one you take as he is....warts and all....and do not try/expect to change him. If you try, how is he your friend and vice versa?
A Friend transcends race. One of my Friends is African-American. She recently told me of a new AA lady at our work who called her "sista". My Friend told me she is not her "sista"; I am the only person at our work she considers a "sista".
A Friend is one you know you can rely on.....a listener, and you listen; a confidant.....and you don't blab what he tells you in confidence, and vice versa. Someone you trust without reservation.
A Friend is one who feels at ease borrowing money from you....and vice versa. I don't mean the usual $10 or $20; I mean hundreds of dollars.....no timetable to pay back.... but you know he will/you will.
A Friend is one who will help you when you need it.....maybe doing mundane errands...maybe climbing on your roof to trim your limbs so the insurance won't drop you.
A Friend makes no demands on you....has no expectations of you.....doesn't use you financially, emotionally, or in any other way.....he values you for you....warts and all.....and vice versa.
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