Friendship

Hello Internet:

So today I learned a valuable lesson. Friendship, although it may be hard at times, is one of the most powerful amazing connections two people can have. Friends can make your day better or worse in a minute.

What I learned, is we only should be there for a few, not them all. It is impossible to be there for EVERYONE. I got coffee with an old friend today, and as he kept talking about the second time his father had locked him in the crazy house, I realized- holding my cold coffee, water dripping off my fingertips, how stupid I was. I knew this was going to happen. I KNEW he would sit here and talk to me about ALL the bull shit that has happened to him in the last year.

But as I looked into his green eyes, they were searching mine. They were looking for any type of help, and I could feel it. I have never felt more uncomfortable. I have no answers for someone on 5 different meds, and he doesn't even know what he's taking, because his dad tells him to take them or he's going back to the loony bin. Then, it hit me- it was about this time of year he had told me years ago when he goes a little crazy. And I thought about it, it was about this time of year, last year, his dad put him in that hospital. This time of year, 16 years ago, his mom put a gun to her head and shot herself. How could a mother do that to her children? Don't answer that.

So, me being the one that is always trying to help, I brought it up. All he said was, "I don't need to think about that stuff anymore." And doubt and darkness filled his eyes. You could see it, it filled the whole coffee shop. I told him, "You can't live by just blocking every thing out!" And he goes, "I am living. I am doing what I can to make it. I don't think about yesterday- I think about today, and what could happen tomorrow."

And still my heart felt iced over. It felt like I was in a bad trip or something. His eyes were pouring all his pain into my soul, and I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't know how to get out of the conversation...scrambling for anything- I pulled out my last resource, my cell phone. OOF COURSE! "Mom needs me to run errands. We should do this again sometime!" WHAT!?!?!? I don't want to do it again!!! I don't ever want to feel that coldness and I don't want to see that aching pain and yearning for answers that I saw in the far back of his eyes.

I walked to my car, and realized....I am not here to help everyone. The last time I focused on everyone else but myself, I got into habits I was warned about. Habits I was told were bad, and yet something drew me to them. Every one else's pain made me turn to something I swore I never would. And I felt that today. I can't keep making my same mistakes and falling into old habits. I knew as I opened the car door and sat down on the hot black leather, that was my last time seeing him. I knew I was not the therapist anymore- I was just a friend who will help a friend out every now and then.

And of course every now and then came within a few hours. My best friend is upset because basically her boyfriend is a pussy and afraid of confrontation and she can be passive and doesn't want to upset him- because she loves him.

What a handful of "slkfjosiejflskdjfosifjslkdfjwofj!!!!!!!!!" in one day! hahaha. Anywho- I will tell you right now. NEVER EVER EVER PUT OFF YOUR FEELINGS TO NOT UPSET SOMEONE ELSE. It will only build, and things will only get worse. AND SECONDLY! DO NOT EVER BE A PUSSY AND RUN FROM FEELINGS AND CONFRONTATION. It will get you no where but alone.

Of course I sugar coated that to her...but she listened, and now everything is back to normal :-).

I realized today Internet, we have to pick our battles. We can't help everyone. We have to take it one day at a time, but keep in mind- WE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT.

-Miss Optimistic