What about your friends?

I know, I know, I borrowed the line from TLC, but what about them? Why are friendships so hard, sometimes? For the most part, our friends are the people who are the easiest to be ourselves around. They're the people we can talk to about any and everything. And if they're your best friend, you can usually call them at 3 o'clock in the morning without getting cussed out... usually. What's really special about friends is that they're the people we choose to be a part of our life... an extension of ourselves. Our friends share the same interests, like to do the sames things and usually know what we're thinking without anything being said. We can sit around with our friends to talk and laugh about menial things. Our friends are the ones we call first to share good news, they're the first we call when we're having a hard time or need a shoulder to cry on. And they're definitely the ones we call for a dose of honesty. A real friend always tells you the truth. But sometimes friendships, like romantic relationships, can be strained. Yes, friendships can be hard and require work. And no matter how old the friendship is, there are times when things can get awkward or someone in the relationship starts to annoy you in some way. However, just because trouble can occur in a friendship, it's usually not a reason to dissolve it. Communication is key in ALL relationships, meaning the most trivial things need to be addressed. Though there may be times when a friend or friends can be toxic. If that is the case, then that relationship would need to be evaluated. I, for one, do not believe in having toxic relationships and when I discover a relationship of any kind is toxic, I immediately end it. However, our true friends; our "ace boons," our "road dogs," "our girls" and/or "our boys" are the ones we hold dearest to our hearts. There comes a time when we have to decide just how much we love our friends and overlook their shortcomings, and let's face it, we all have them because none of us are perfect. I guess my point is that real friendships are hard to come by. Sure there are times when people have come into our lives for a season and at some point we never see or hear from those people again. And granted, we all change and grow, but that's expected. Like all living things, we continue to grow. But the connection or "it factor" that caused us to bond with our friends never changes. We have to treasure our friends and never take them for granted. And we must learn to accept them for who they are. And if you've never expressed to your friends how much they mean to you or how much you love them, do so today because tomorrow is not promised. Friendships are going to encounter hardships, but a true friendship is worth working on and saving.