Recently I've been thinking about my friends. I have to admit that I've been struggling with the concept of friendship and just who are my real friends. Not wanting to chance anything, I thought that I would consult the experts on the definition of what it means to be a real friend. I'm sure it will be no surprise to many of you that my search lead me once again to the Urban Dictionary.
My good friends at Urban Dictionary define real friends as: People you been through some shit with.
I will now insert my token apology to the Christian Community and my 12th grade English teacher, Miss Bowen, for the use of the word "shit" and for using a definition that ends in a preposition. Please forgive me.
But that, my friends, is about as clear of a definition as I've ever read. It's confusing sometimes with my favorite social media site when I get "friend" requests from people that I don't know or can't remember how I am supposed to know them. Thanks to Urban Dictionary, I now know that unless I've been through some shit with them that they aren't my "real" friends.
Growing up I travelled with a merry band of brothers on our Spider bikes through the streets and woods of our hometown. We played hard and we rode hard. We learned about life from one another. We pushed the boundaries of what was considered right or wrong. We played sports together and we didn't get Participation Trophies. We knew how to compete and we hated to lose. From the time I started school until age 13 I formed some friendships that are still anchored in place today. By that, I mean that right now, if I needed a favor or a shoulder to lean on, those boys, now men, would be there for me. I know it. All because we been through some shit together.
When I turned 13 I met someone who would become my "best" real friend. Over the last 43 years, she and I have been through some shit. Boy, have we ever. And we are still standing. While I could write volumes on our life's journey through some shit, I will only add that not all of the shit we've been through has been bad. Some of the shit we've stepped in along the way has been good. As it is with any friendship. And I guess that's my point...
I've often said that I don't believe that we meet anyone in this world by chance. That's just what I believe so don't hate me. With that, I believe that if we're lucky enough, we'll have some real friends in this life. Looking back, I've noticed that I don't spend enough time with my real friends and I truly believe that I haven't discovered all of my real friends yet. The good news is that I still have some life left in me and who knows where life may lead me. But one thing's for sure, wherever life may lead me I'm sure there'll be some shit to go through and I can't wait to see who shows up to go through it with me.
Be Well.
Bill
