To me, a friend is not so much of a casual term it is to so many others. It's a term of endearment. In my mind a friend is not someone you find in any corner of any room or elsewhere. It's a bestowed honor from me, and you have to earn it. In this case, it is safe to tell you that I have not had a lot of friends in my life, even though I like generally the people I meet. What makes a person my friend? First thing's first: You have to accept who I am, both in strengths and flaws. I show these friends a lot more of who I am, because I know they will not demean me. They are some of the few who get the full brunt of my sense of humor as well as whatever fun attributes I might have. Second, they talk to me and let me talk with them without criticism. I love being able to talk with people who hold back on the analyzing of every single word coming out of my mouth. Half of what I'm saying doesn't even come out correctly anyway, so it just makes it worse if someone's busy trying to analyze it all...and asking too many questions while they're at it. A friend in my terms is someone who makes me comfortable enough that I allow them the privilege of seeing my quirky and humorous side along with my deeper reflective side.On the subject of best friends, I can't discuss that a lot since I've never had a best friend. My idea of a best friend is quite restrictive so it may be safe to say that a limited number of people would even be eligible for such a status. I had a friend or two that almost made it, but never did under the stipulation that they had to identify me as theirs, and they never did. They are still good friends and even though I have never had a best friend, I'm grateful for the good friends I've made throughout my life.
