tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2105799931107229707.post2196936234237046353..comments2024-03-07T03:09:25.987-06:00Comments on Unlikely Otaku: For Anonymous:What A Friend Is NotStephanie Barrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2105799931107229707.post-4344799608759217502010-03-08T17:38:43.436-06:002010-03-08T17:38:43.436-06:00When it comes to friends, quality, not quantity. I...When it comes to friends, quality, not quantity. I have a very small number of real friends, but the ones I have are the BEST.Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2105799931107229707.post-70239464685907016762010-03-08T17:34:04.323-06:002010-03-08T17:34:04.323-06:00I really like this answer, Stephanie. Or this seri...I really like this answer, Stephanie. Or this series of answer. :-)<br /><br />Two things really stood out for me. One was the comment about being self-absorbed. I remember a friend from years ago, who was very "elvish," and was adored by all and sundry. But I remember one evening when I was really down, and needed to talk. I called her and we talked for an hour. For the first five minutes, she gave me some sympathy. Then for the next 55 minutes, she chattered about herself, as I -- trying to be a good friend -- listened to her news about her life, and commented and encouraged, and stifled my own gloom so it wouldn't bring her down.<br /><br />That was when I started realizing that she wasn't really a friend to me.<br /><br />Your comment about a friend being undemanding reminded me of my bestest friend in the whole world, who lives at the opposite side of the continent from me. We had our big fights and estrangements all finished by the time we were 20. Since then, we can sometimes go years without seeing or having contact with each other, but the next time we find each other, we pick up EXACTLY where we left off. There's no heavy work, no judgements, no awkwardness.<br /><br />We lost touch for the last few years, and I just couldn't find her no matter how I searched. Then somehow she found me on Facebook last autumn, and I was thrilled beyond words. Shortly after, she came to Toronto to visit her daughter, and we saw each other for the first time in years. Again -- no awkwardness, no strangeness after all that time -- we were who we always were together.<br /><br />The contrast of those two people is, well, stunning. There was the real friend, and then the one who just gathered people so they could flutter around her. Just no comparison.Phylhttp://bookishgal.shinyideas.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2105799931107229707.post-29590033743753316062010-03-04T19:39:47.500-06:002010-03-04T19:39:47.500-06:00I like the nonjudging kind...even if you two are c...I like the nonjudging kind...even if you two are completely different...<br /><br />Can you tell why? :)Dr. Cheryl Carvajalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15323455180953109460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2105799931107229707.post-64681747366823407932010-03-02T20:30:45.584-06:002010-03-02T20:30:45.584-06:00Amen! I wish I had a word for this one: a friend i...Amen! I wish I had a word for this one: a friend is not someone who cares about time. In other words, no matter how much time has lapsed between contact a friend will embrace you with open arms.Quadmamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12811147214370454309noreply@blogger.com