Friendship

Some people make friends easily and have lots and lots of friends. They could probably spend every day with a different friend and not have to start recycling people for months. I'm not one of those people. I clearly missed the bit of female socialization that is supposed to make me good at talking about my feelings. I'm know I don't do a very good job of keeping in touch with my friends, or letting them know how important they are to me.

I've always been a bit casual about friendships. People come into my life and then drift out again, and I usually let that happen, without making much of an effort to keep in touch. Nearly two years ago one of my closest friends died after a long battle with breast cancer. Losing her is obviously irreversible, but has made me realise that the loss of my other friendships is not. It's such a waste to let a friendship die needlessly.

Democritus said "Life is not worth living for the man who has not even one good friend." I'd turn that around and say that if a person has even one good, true friendship, theirs must be a good life. I am lucky enough to have several such good friends in my life. Even though I don't know how to find the words to say so, I truly do appreciate these friendships. To have such good friends, I know I must really have done something right with my life.

Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods. -Artistotle

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather is one of those things that give value to survival. -C. S. Lewis

I am extremely lucky to have (and to have had) such good friends in my life.