Friends

A while ago I read a story about a guy who just learned that he was going to win the multi-million jackpot in the state lottery. As soon as he knew, but before anyone else knew, he made a list of all of his friends and maybe-friends. And then he rang up each and every one of them, telling them a story of how he was in a huge pinch, and if they could loan him $2,000. Right now. Everyone who declined were crossed off the list. Armed with that knowledge, in the future, should anyone of them come begging, he'd know whom to trust and whom to lend money to. There's a ruthlessness to this, but there's also a level of honesty that really speaks to me. Right now, I'm going through some rough patches, and it's oh so easy to call me out as the bad guy. And everyone who does so, without consulting with me to hear my side of the story, gets crossed off the list. Without recourse. It's simple. It's ruthless. And you know what? It's also intensely liberating. It's a great feeling of relief, a release of pent-up energy. Life's too short to waste it on fake friends. I mean, it's okay to hang out with people who aren't friends, so long as you don't pretend they _are_ your friends. But for the people you consider your friends, give them a chance to show their true colors, and then choose to spend your time with the people who truly care about you and let go of the rest.