stephanie's space

   How many of us truly have good friends that have been with us for a good part of our lives?  I guess that would depend on if we really have friends or if we only have aquaintances.  We all have those "friends" that don't really mean anything to us, and we say they are friends but they aren't really anything to us personally.  These are the people that we say Hi to on the way into work, that we speak to at the grocery store or that have known us through a common friend of the family or other source.  These are not the pople that you share your deep dark thoughts with, or special moments in your life.  Sometimes even family isn't a friend depending on the relationships.  I don't know about the rest of you but I know that in my family you have the same make up as the rest of the world.  I have the drama queen, the complainer, the loner, a slew of enablers and a few that have pity parties on a daily basis.  Sometimes your family is your worst enemy.  Even though they are supposed to know you best, they are also the one's that know exactly where your weaknesses lie and how to exploit them.  I have a great friend that reminds me on a constant basis that you have to remember who you are dealing with and what they are capable of.  Once in a while these people will surprise you and decide to act rationally and be a grown up adult but that is a rare occasion and when that happens it surprises everyone.  It makes you real glad when they aren't the one's that you count on because you know that you can't.  Friendship is a responsibilty that not everyone is ready for and some people will never be ready for that kind of committment to one person, even if they are family.  Just pick your friends wisely and remember that family isn't who you pick always but who God decided that you needed to be with for some reason.