Hey Friend take a Bow!

How good is it to have FRIENDS in our lives.  My kids have been watching old reruns of the series and it amazes me how much they enjoy these sitcoms from yester year.  I guess that in these tough days the presence of true friends makes a major difference in our lives.  By the same token those who prove not to be loyal, would be better to know up front, so that you can move on from them as soon as possible.  Friends are Faithful, they are there when you need them and even there when you don't see them for some time.  They represent a presence and a certainty in our lives and they have become a constant through many years of showing up and staying up when we need them.  Friends are to be Respected because they have earned their places in our lives and they deserve to be there. It is not worth having people being part of our lives that we would not in any event have respect for, were we to meet them for the first time.  Friends have Integrity because it is critical to maintain your standards in this world and to be surrounded by people that are willing to face the same circumstances you do and generally have the same outlook to what is important and has meaning.  Friends do not Envy what we have, but rather embrace our successes and forgive our failures because it more important to them to be part of our lives than to want what is in our lives.  Friends should Never say things behind our backs and will always live by the principle of coming out and saying what is on their minds and hearts and finding a way to look you in the eye no matter if it is difficult or not to face.  Friends are entirely Dependable and take on what matters to us because it matters to them.  They are not blown back and forth depending on our station in life or too busy to be in our lives when things are going well for them or just convenient when they need something from us.  They remain people that distinguish themselves from others because they complete our lives and put our lives in perspective.  Finally Friends are Special and they should be applauded and praised and loved and cherished - not every acquaintance deserves the title of friend and our lives are not defined ultimately by the number of friends we have, but surely by the impact that they have on our journey in life.