How Many of Us Have Them?

My Best Friend in the World

Okay... So it's been a little bit since I last wrote but at least it wasn't like 3 months or something like that...

So I've been thinking, what is a friend?

I tend to think as a society we throw around that word a lot to describe people who are mere acquaintances. I know I'm guilty of that just as much as anybody.

The question of who are my "friends" came to mind when me and the manager of our store were talking about it as we were setting up a sidewalk sale.

He's kind of like me, when I say that at my age I really don't need any new "besties"... I have my brother and my cousin who's like my sister, those are pretty much my "best" friends in the world because I would damn near do anything for them. I also have to mention my friend Paco and Matt because I've known them for awhile and they've always provided me good counsel when I needed it. (Well that and the fact me an Paco tend to have an absurd sense of humor that seemingly only we get...)

But... Here comes my fatal flaw... I'm one of those people who would give you the money in my pocket if you seemed like you needed it even if you are just an acquaintance...

One example that comes to mind is one of our cashiers who was saying she wasn't feeling well and had some cramps, I actually went and bought a bottle of water for her so she could feel better... Now mind you she's a cutie, but that wasn't my motivation for doing that... I was genuinely concerned for her well being... (Well that and the fact I really didn't want to have to call someone else to fill in for her... lol)

But it's stuff like that that makes me think, why would I do that when that person isn't even really my friend? I mean we're friends at work (hell, if she wasn't working for me I'd definitely want to date her...) but outside of that I don't really know this girl from Adam...

I want to say maybe it's because my mother has an influence in this or maybe it's the buddhism thing...

My mother who has been divorced from my father a good 10 years went into panic mode when my father had his stroke... When me and my brother talked with her it she was always concerned whether or not we went and visited my father in the hospital. I will mention that they had a VERY messy divorce and a VERY messy marriage... My father did such horrible things to my mother financially it made me feel better when their divorce was final... It was that reasoning that made me and Adam always say "Why in the hell do you even care? Dad was such a prick to you???" The answer always stuns me when she says "Yeah, he's an asshole and I have absolutely no love for him, but I still am concerned from one human being to another..."

So, I apparently inherited that from my mother and grandmother...

When it comes to a choice though between helping a "friend" or just some cat you know, I know I'm going to try my hardest to help both.

But we all make that choice whether or not we extend that kindness to strangers. I guess my choice at the end of the day is to further skew the lines and say well since this person is my "friend"(otherwise known as an acquaintance) I will do what I can do make their lives better...