friends with benefits

when running on the treadmill, i usually try to busy my brain so that i don't hurl. this morning, while trying not to hurl, i was thinking about friends.

friendship is very, very important to me. i'm loyal (sometimes too loyal) and i tend to hang onto people forever and ever and ever! (abandonment issues...)

but, when i really give it some thought, i realize that each friend has a purpose. (a benefit so to speak)

some friends fall into the "fair weather friend" category. these are the friends who are fun and make you laugh and are always up for a good time. these friends often don't stick around when the going gets tough. if you want a running partner or a lunch date, they're in. but if someone dies or gets cancer, they put the petal to the metal.

next we have the "boost your self esteem" friends. these are the friends you call when you realize your jeans are too tight (WAY too tight?), or your kids and/or husband are pushing you over the edge. these friends know how to comfort and lighten the mood. they know how to listen and know just what to say. always important to have one or two of these in your friend repertoire!

another wonderful sort of friend is the "tried and true". this one has been around long enough to read your moods before a word is even said. this friend has stuck by you through good and bad, fat and skinny, hormonal and downright bitchy. this friend can make you pee your pants from laughing and shares your tears when you're down. whether it's a pedicure or a root canal, this friend is just happy to come along for the company.

last, but certainly not least, is the "old friend". these are the ones who applied your baby oil so the two of you could fry yourselves on the driveway. the ones who helped you master the art of hair feathering, breastfeeding cabbage patch kids, and perfect application of blue eyeshadow....years and years can go by between meetings, and you can pick up just where you left off. (minus the baby oil).

i am blessed with a friend or two in each category. and honestly, my life is so much richer than it would be without them. sometimes we get all wrapped up in our lives and forget to tell people how much they mean to us. today, take a second to share your feelings with someone important to you. believe me, they will appreciate it :)