“One can never have too many friends.
Only too many to properly take care of.”
Rod McKuen

I love my friends and I love having friends! They round out my life, they complete it. Where would I have been without my friends past and present, far and near, offline and online when Alex died? I don’t want to think about it.

Our friends are our mirrors of where we are on our journey. You may want say this is logical because we meet our friends at places where we share common interests – school, work, the neighborhood, online. But that doesn’t explain why we are drawn to some people and not to others. It doesn’t explain why some friendships endure after you’ve graduated, changed jobs or moved from the neighborhood. It doesn’t explain, either, why some friendships which begin online continue offline as well.

Some friends are friends of propinquity, friends because you happen to be near, and some are friends no matter where you go. Some enter our lives briefly and others, like my oldest friend, are friends for the long haul.

Which is better -an old friend or a new one? A new friend has never heard your stories. You get to dust them off and tell them again. An old friend can remember who you were and remind you of who you are.

Friends are a witness to our lives, a reflection, a sounding board and a companion. They remind us that having fun is a big part of why we are here and that no matter what may be happening, we are not alone.

Do you think we need friends? Do you prefer the old friends or the new? Do you believe one can have too many friends “to properly take care of”?

Photo credit: Julie LeBlanc