Friends

Hello, coffee lovers and avid readers! Welcome to Olive’s Corner at Olive’s Café, where you get insight on thoughts of life.

Here’s my opinion on friends: On the contrary to what people think about friends, having friends is a wonderful thing.

Growing up, I had a tough time making friends, and even a tougher time keeping them. I always grew jealous of people who have friends, especially the ones who knew each other for a long time. They share stories of how and when they met, what they went through, and what they share. I always ask myself why I feel so repellant with people, but I was too afraid to accent the answer. That is, until I started to develop on myself on a deeper level, and I figured out why. Not only was I emotionally unstable, but I have behaved immaturely. At least, that’s what other people have implied on me. It was worse when my family told me all the time that I don’t need friends, family is all I have, friends will only take advantage of me, and I only have myself in the end. As I got older, I realized that the things that they told me were all out of hurt and fear, and I found out it wasn’t the case with everyone I meet.

Yes, it’s true to be careful with who you’ll be friends with, but the one thing I learned from making friends is to look out for patterns, not potential. When I received advice to find friends, I was always told to look at the materials, like having the same taste in fashion and looks. I was taught to look at the surface and fit in with the crowd However, I didn’t want to talk about material things. I didn’t even enjoy the outfits I wore, but I wore them to fit in, nonetheless. I was completely different from everyone around me; from my thoughts to what I wore. The point was I couldn’t make friends just by material interest, but I did make friends with similar taste to art and sense of humor.

The friends that I have now are extremely special, and I love them with all my heart. I have friends that I see in person, and others that are online. I’ve known my online friends for over a year, and I wished every day that we could meet in person because they have been so kind to me, encouraging, and they even let me be myself. Whenever I talk to them, I feel their embrace and their acceptance and my biggest prize of all is when they let me help them and they come to me for advice. We get along so well, and I get to talk about life, art, and just be funny together. Just when I thought I was an alien, I found rare gems in my life that I want to cherish for the rest of my life. To me, whether in person or online, they feel like my family to me, and I love and appreciate them.

Although I do find that having friends can be a good thing, I still think we should all be careful with who we connect with. Sure, we can like the same things, but if we spend enough time with people we meet, and we start to see patterns where they behave differently or they’re starting to say things that make us feel uncomfortable, I will say back up a little bit and analyze what changed, or what’s different. I would think that the things we haven’t seen before could have already been there, and since we got in so deep in the relationship, we finally see what’s underneath the surface. I always find that asking questions do help with finding answers, and it determines our trust between us. I’ll be honest: we really don’t need friends in a way we thought we need them; however, we can’t help but be connected on a personal level. Instead of showing of our material things, sharing moments between friends make a profound impact with each other. We don’t need to hide the cards to please others and make friends with them. We can just deal them and see who accepts you for who you are. If they leave, let them leave, but for those who stay, cherish them with your heart.

With what I went through growing up, from feeling like a repellant to being taking advantage of and even being bullied, I wish that on no one, not even my worst enemy. When I see people around enjoying their time with their friends, I will get jealous, but I still wish them the best. When I finally have friends that I can enjoy my time with, and we can be transparent with each other, I feel like it’s Christmas every day. We shouldn’t always depend on friendships, but when we have friends, they help make life worth living.

Remember, if you have friends that are there for you and offer a hand without judgment, hold on tight and never let go.

Thank you for tuning in on Olive’s Corner at Olive’s Café!