I wish I had real friends!

[Julie Wilson]

What are "real friends" anyway? I don't think I've had any my entire life. My "friends" are simply people-I-hang-out-with; they will lie to you, cheat you, talk behind your back, never be there for you... but you can talk to them when you've got nothing better to do - just don't say too much. 99% of the people you meet will be like this, sometimes it's best to just ditch everyone and become independant. For me personally, simply having a job or going to college suffices to accommodate for my social needs, the people I meet at work are no different from my actual "friends", I don't trust either really.

I read this post a few days ago and it stayed on my mind.  I had to come back and quote it because it is so very true and I don't think most people ever come to this realization, perhaps for them ignorance is bliss?  I remember long ago I didn't believe in love, I mean... I was raised by parents who assured me that they loved me, but they didn't love 'me'.  And I just didn't believe in love.  Then much to my amazement I fell in love but though I believed I was in love and tried to convince myself it was real for like three years.  My partner was never in love with me and eventually she let me know it.  Even a best friend may not consider you a best friend, let alone a friend at all.  And "friend" means something different to everyone.  Lots of us think we can trust our "friends" O_o ...  Friends are a distraction to personal development, when you can be your own friend and when you learn a little about human nature then you can begin to put "friendship" in context.

I was thinking today that really old people, if they have their wits about them... they begin to accumulate wisdom which I suspect is an ability to look at things without all the ego and attachment that younger people tend to experience.

[Sara Thomas]

This is something that I have been thinking a bit about lately also... just folks that I can hang out with, and be myself.

I think it has to do with a yearning for validation: accepting ourselves is great, but being accepted by others would be nice also.

It's kinda like - If a tree falls in the forest...