To My Friends

Image by wickenden via FlickrWe should thank the friends that:

• made promises that they didn't keep
• broke our plans or stood us up because something better came along
• abandoned us every time she got a new boyfriend
• excluded us when planning a girl's spa weekend, or a ladies' night out, or choosing her bridesmaids
• smiled in our face, then stabbed us in the back
• sneaked around behind our back to date our ex
• provided plenty of backhanded compliments, and loved to tell us all the nasty things other people said about us
  
• continually hijacked the conversation to talk about her life and her problems, but changed the subject when we needed to vent
• told us they'd be there for us, but made themselves scarce just when we needed them most
• conveniently forgot when she owed us money, or when it was her turn to pay

Because without them, we wouldn't have learned to appreciate the friends who:

• went out of their way to be helpful in times of need
• looked out for us when we couldn't look out for ourselves
• always treated us the same, in happy and unhappy times
• always pointed out what was best for us
  
• were always sympathetic when the chips were down
• were the first to rejoice at our good fortune
• stood up for us and stopped others who spoke against us
  
• always gave more than they needed to

And without them, we wouldn't have learned that:

• a good friend is worth more than all the world's purest gold, platinum and rhodium combined
• in order to have a good friend, you need to first be a good friend
  

"Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget." - unknown