Circles of Friendship

I can positively say, that without the friends I have, I would not have made it through the trials and tribulations the past couple of years have brought me. I can think of a few major episodes where, had I have been all alone, I do not know what I would have been capable of. Anything.

We all have different types of friends. I have friends who I can have fun with, but wouldn't necessarily open up to. I have friends I would open up to but not necessarily have fun with. I have friends who I can have a fierce debate over refereeing standards in the UK with, but would never go out on the town with them, and I have friends who I get wasted with who don't have a clue who Mark Clattenburg is. A few of these friends fall into a couple of categories, and strangely, I have friends who fall into no category at all. But they are just there to have a general laugh with. Does it seem wrong I am metephorically categorising my friends?

The point I am trying to get at, is that friendship, in my opinion, is the most valuable thing on God's Green Earth. Friends are there for times that family, for some reason, can't be. Some would argue that family are there for anything and everything, but not in my world. I am not confident to do that, and all of my secrets have circulated amongst close friends before my family get a sniff of what's happening.

Right now, I am having a chat with a friend who would probably come under, 'I can open up to, but wouldn't necessarily hang out with' group. He is one of 3 people I can rely on to make an effort at what is going on inside my head, and although tonight is more of a role reversal, I feel I owe him my full attention. It's currently deep into the night, with a full day ahead tomorrow, but I feel I must see out this conversation to it's end. Friends, whatever category, are there for each other.

I never feel particularly helpful in situations where I am required to listen and cheer someone up. Despite being on the other end of the line many, many times. Whenever I am needed to lift someone's chin above the water, I never really know what to say. I try to avoid cliched lines like, "things will get better", because that implies you're not really listening. One thing I do know, is that when I feel rubbish, I want the other person to at least attempt to understand what I'm trying to say. Not just palm it off with unoriginal one-liners.

I may be here for some time tonight, with my eyes already being strained by the screen I am looking at, but I will stay until he sees it fit to end the conversation. For I am here to help.