How many people have you "cut out" of your life? For me, this number is so large I hate to contemplate it. However, there is one that sticks out above the rest.
Let's call her Susan. I have known Susan for about 14 years, my second longest "relationship". Susan sold me my first house, has seen me go thru a pregnancy, a divorce, a drug problem, and countless boyfriends. She has seen me rich, poor, skinny and fat. She has been mostly supportive of all of these things (sometimes she was little too vocal for my taste; but always meant well).
A few years ago, we went on a vacation together. Here is where I should insert a caution to anyone else contemplating vacationing with a friend. After that vacation, things kinda went to hell.
Even though the relationship was hurt by the experience, Susan has never given up on me. She always inquires as to my well being, as well as my children, and whomever I happen to be in a relationship with at the time. She continues to be supportive, and I continue to be a bit vague. My being vague has nothing to do with her personally. I have long since gotten over the vacation "thing". Now it is just that I am in that "hermit" mode.
I hope that one day soon, I will emerge from this hermit mode and then can tell Susan how much I appreciate her never giving up on me. It's a sign of true friendship and caring when someone keeps up with you even when you are absent in the friendship.
Here's to the "Susan's" in all of our lives. Maybe one day we can each be a "Susan" to someone else.
Malicious Extrapolation
9 years ago
Posts
I have always felt there are 3 types of friends. The kind that are around when things are great, the kind that are around for the first part of things are bad (but ease away as fast as they can) and the kind that you can't get rid of no matter how hard you try. Those are the ones that care about you even when you don't care about yourself, they forgive you when you can't and even if you don't talk to them they still consider you a friend.
ReplyDeleteBecause real friendship is honest, (and yes, sometimes vocal) even when, and sometimes most, when you don't want to hear it. It's not about saying what someone WANTS to hear, but rather what they NEED to hear. But most of all true friendship is unconditional. That means you can hate them, cuss them, cut them out of your life and they still love you and would be there in a minute if you need them. Unconditional love is something that is hard to do but when you can care about someone without conditions it frees you to accept them for their faults instead of in spite of them.