My mother told me if I was like lucky I would find 2 or 3 close friends who would stick. She told this to me when I was younger and felt like I had no friends because I wasn’t part of the popular crowd. I’ve never actually felt like I was part of a popular group even if I friends who were. However, and yes I’m putting this in writing on a public forum, my mother was right. I am lucky and I do have a few very close friends who are always there.

The nice thing about these types of friends is that they will stand by you when you are up or down. Broke, just getting by or living it up, you will still find those faithful few. I discovered that in order to have that kind of a friend, you have to be the same way with those same people. You can’t have people who will stick with you and yet you’re not available to them when they need you. Or the reverse, you stick by someone and they are never there for you.

Friends that are in it for the long haul are not afraid to tell you when you’re on shaky ground or when you ought to rethink your position. They will hold you when you’re crying even if they think that the situation is actually in your best interest. They will listen to you go on about a romantic interest that they know is not good for you but keep quiet until they feel it’s time to stop that particular train wreck from happening. They will tell you when they think a job opportunity is not really an opportunity and you should just keep looking. When they let you know that they are concerned about your decision, relationship, choice, etc., it’s because they care about your well-being as a whole person and not just because they will no longer get something from you.

These friends are precious and, like my mom said, very few. They are people to cherish and hold. I try to let each of them know how important they are in my life on a regular basis. There are times in life when you need those people who will love you as you are and are willing to do anything for you – listen, wield a bat, be logistics, paint, pack or hold. They know your faults and your talents and they are there. Always.