What does "Friend" mean to you......is everyone's definition different?

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
Fight for you
Respect you
Include you
Encourage you
Need you
Deserve you
Stand by you.

Tonight this is something that CLEARLY I need to blog about.......oh don't you get me wrong here, it's not just so-called "Friends" who need to KNOW and understand what the word means......and HOW to respect boundaries.

Listen, when you have friends, HEAR what they say to you.  Listen when they tell you something.  Respect what they need, and want from you, don't listen, and then do what YOU want to, because you want to.  How is that being a friend?  

When you have a friend who NEEDS you......you know, because they are fighting a fight, or feeling alone, lost or just plain SAD, be there for them.  Without having to be asked......just because you know, if that's how YOU felt, you would want a friend there with you.  If you have friends, you are LOYAL to those friends.  You don't pick a situation and decide you won't stick up for your friend, just because it makes you feel uncomfortable.  Loyalty.....ask yourself, are you a loyal friend?  Are your friends LOYAL to you?  Can you stick up for someone you care about, to someone else that you care about, and know that you are doing the right thing, even if it makes you feel like you are in the middle?  I know, without a doubt, that I can.  I stick up for people, friends or not, because right is right.  Period.  

Now apparently there aren't a lot of people around my area, who know what this all means.  No, I'm so not kidding here......sad, isn't it?  Sad that these people....are calling themselves "Friends" to SOMEONE........someplace, but you know they can never really BE a friend....I mean, how COULD they be someone's friend if they can't even listen when you tell them what you need and expect from them?  When they are SO self-centered that they only care about what is good for THEM at that very moment in time?

I don't want people around me like that.  I don't allow people in my life like that.  I NEED people around me who are GOOD people, who RESPECT each other, and who LISTEN to what their friends need......even if it's not convenient at that very moment.  Is that too much to ASK for??

I do have people around me who love me, and respect me.  I have a LOT of friends who do.  Some who live near, and some who live far, and believe me, I am SUPER blessed to have them ALL in my life.  

BEING a friend to someone, know that you are DESERVING of friendship also.....if they are a TRUE friend, it won't be HARD to do this for them.

I'm an adult here, and I know what I want out of life.  I know what I need to do to get there, and even with life's twists and turns, mistakes and screw-ups, I have goals, I won't stop until I reach them.  Never. However, I will NOT stomp on ANYONE along the way.  Not a friend, not family, not ANYONE, as long as I know they are a FRIEND.