“Friends are like bras: close to your heart and there for support.”

"A true friend warms you with her presence , trusts you with her secrets and remembers you in her prayers." ~ anonymous

"The only way to have a friend is to be one." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Misfortune shows those who are not really friends."
- Aristotle

"Anybody can sympathize with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathize with a friend's success."
- Oscar Wilde

The first two quotes are ones, I found in Jr. high I think, probably from young womans, and these are the things I think of when I am a friend. I think I even had one of them cross stitched. I try to teach my kids to be true friends too, with siblings, and cousins, and neighbors and school friends. I just think friends are so important and I really appreciate the friends I have. because “Friends are the family we choose for ourselves” and I believe that kids need to be taught by example how to be a good friend. and I consider myself to have lots of friends, some are true life long friends, that i never see but think fondly of, that I love to remember the fun times we had, and when we do talk it's like it has only been days instead of years, and then there are friends I see regularly, that know what is really going on in life and truly care about you and your well being, that ask how your family is and consider them to be close friends and yet they've never actually met. There are friends that you see and you confess all the ugly truths of of your lives and and you are still friends, not judging, just hearing and supporting you. There are also friends that aren't friends, toxic friends, that you care about and don't realize they aren't really true friends to you. You need support, and they talk about themselves, you are suddenly pregnant by surprise and horrified and they judge you harshly and cut you off! You have cancer, and they call and tell you they have been so busy, and that is why they haven't called to see how it is going, and big important days that you'd think they would come to, they don't show up and call for help from you!Or they come to your wedding and tell people from singles ward you are pregnant, and you aren't! I call these toxic friends, I have only happened on a few in my life but it always takes me by surprise because I always think my friends are the kind of friends, I try to be for them, and I always have considered these friends as best friends which is why it was so hard when I realized the kind of friends they really were. and I have to say I am drawn to call them , and I miss them and the good times, and then they do it again, they let me down, or say rude things to me, and I realize they probably weren't the friends I thought they were. Friendships shouldn't be one sided, or selfish, or jealous! and I have learned that sometimes you have friends that are better friends than you ever thought they could be. and I appreciate those friends more than I used to. because now I really know the value of a good friend. So thank you to all my real friends, you make my days brighter, and more fun, you have given support in times of need , and prayers when I didn't want to be prayed for, you've helped me clean my nasty house, and gone out late at night, you have listened to me vent , and let me cry, thrown baby showers , and girls night, invited me to bunko , and gone to lunch. Blogging friends, that have so much in common, that leave great comments and that I never would have met with out the blogs we are all addicted to, and sometimes my blog friends know more about what is going on in life than family and ward friends. So thank you Friends and I hope I am the kind of friend you need me to be!