Friend or Foe?

A good, well maybe not so good, friend of mine told me off the other day. As a matter of fact, the more I think about him and our friendship, I realize that is all he does. After we go through the motions of the how are you and what have you been up to part of the conversation and get to the meat of it all, he always ends up telling me about myself. Our most recent conversation started with him telling me, "face it Kat... you're full of [insert curse word here]", to which I lovingly responded by referring to him as a bastard.

Who needs enemies when you have friends like that, right?

Weirdly enough, that is what I appreciate about him and so many of my other friends- our ability to tell each other how we really feel. After all, who else will? Who will tell you when you are right or wrong? Or talk sense into you when you are being overly emotional and downright irrational? Encourage you and give you the strength to fight your battles, but also tell you when to put your armor down?

Here's why I'm mad:

I cannot stand people who are afraid to tell their "friend" the truth. If you have to mince your words, then what is the point of your relationship? If someone is your tried and true friend, that means not only will they fight FOR you, but they will also fight WITH you. We are humans, so it is understandable when we get upset if someone hurts our feelings, even if it is a friend. However, we should not become too sensitive or take offense too quickly. If your friends cannot tell you the truth or be honest with you, then who can?

My girlfriends can (and do) look me in the face all the time and tell me when I am acting up or when to calm my attitude down. They also inquire about the girl looking at me from across the room and if I need help settling a problem. THIS IS WHAT WE DO! It is what we have always done, because in essence, that is what friendship is.

So the next time he calls me to tell me I am full of you-know-what or comment about whatever it is I am doing wrong in my life, I will probably call him a bastard again, tell him to shut up, point out his many imperfections (and there are many) and go on with the conversation, as with all my other countless friends who tell me the truth about myself. I will, well, maybe, take heed and act accordingly, then wait patiently for it to be my turn to return the favor.