How many different kinds of friends are there? There are good friends, great friends, fabulous friends, not so great friends, etc. I used to have this personal theory about three circles of friends. (No diagrams exist sadly. Imagine three circles.) The most outside one is just acquaintances and people who you see but don't really bother to get to know beyond a certain level. The middle one is someone you would proudly call friend. Someone who you know for a purpose. Someone you could talk to and feel comfortable with and ask opinions of. After all that, there's the inner circle of really really good friends whom you trust your entire being with. The people who you carry around with you on a lifely basis.

posted by The Wizard



So everyone else besides this inner circle is expendable?

posted by Tin Man



No, not at all. These are just like.....the people you respect the most, trust the most, need the most, et al. For whatever reason, these people make your world go round and round. And keep you upright.

posted by The Wizard



Um, I see. Are there certain qualifications necessary to be included in this inner circle?

posted by Tin Man



None that make sense. But this theory isn¡¯t my point. I think the theory is outdated anyway. I was thinking about how many friends I would keep nothing from. Who I would treat as an extension of myself and allow to know everything about me. All the secret horrible things that no one really wants to admit to. Because when you tell someone something, it becomes that much more real.

posted by The Wizard



And your conclusion is?

posted by Tin Man



I don¡¯t have one. But I guess a lot of times we filter stuff, because we have preconceived notions of what our friends will think or say. It¡¯s kind of sad.

posted by The Wizard



Agreed. Really good friends should have the audacity to say the most horrible things to you. Because no one else will do it.

posted by Tin Man



As difficult as it is. I think to be a true friend, you need to disengage the ability to judge. You have to accept someone as a whole. I guess that¡¯s a good barometer of friendship. I think.

posted by The Wizard



Not a lot of people can do that. Not judge.

posted by Tin Man



Yeah. I know.