FRIENDS ( Archived) (102)

I recently had a conversation with someone and it got me to thinking... Am i the ONLY one who defines "friends" this way?

let me explain... i believe that the word "friend" is about as over used as the word "love" and thus, both have lost their meaning to a large degree.

basically, if i call someone my friend, i think of him/her as a brother/sister (literally)... i would do ANYTHING (within reason) for a friend, as a result, im not one to call someone a friend until i have decided that the relationship has earned that label. thus it takes me a long time to make friends. but once i do make them the remain there for life.

i hear people all the time, in here saying: "i've met a lot of great friends here" or "you are a dear friend to me" yet these people have never met the person in real life and only know whatever they may say via the internet or phone.

even if you meet someone a few times, do you know them well enough under those circumstances to share intimate personal details about yourself? would any of those people fly out on a moments notice to help you when you need it most? CAN they even afford to fly out?

now im not saying that relationships cant be made over long distances, but im having problems understanding who the can be "close" relationships without the ability to truly get to know each other, and i just dont see how you can do that from thousands of miles away... personally, i call those people acquaintances, but i could never open up to them without personal contact


again i ask... am i the ONLY one who thinks this way????

Well I think most people categorise friendship to a point which may answer part of your question mate. I mean someone you would do almost anything for would perhaps be your best or closest friend. There are also just friends who we get along well with and spend occasional time with, watching the game or going to the bar with etc.

No.
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well... that's just it... i dont call those people "friends" ... maybe buddies or acquaintances or co-workers, but not friends....

more importantly, i dont share with them very much about my personal life... yet i've noticed that many of them almost expect it, its almost as if in order to get along you have to open up to them before even knowing them very well !!!


i do open up to people but only AFTER i've gotten to know them well enough to know that i can trust them

there are many types & levels of friends

Had nothing more to say but "No."

I see your point mate, some people do expect info on a grand scale which means their just too nosy. In person I would have to trust somebody to open up yes, which can sometimes take a while.

Ok hun.