Friendly faces add value to everyday life
by Niki Griffin, reporter

    Friendship is a funny thing.

   I have discovered three types of friends in the world.
First, we find the truthful ones who are your best pals and tell you exactly what they think about whatever you do.

   Next are the users who only call when all their other friends are no longer paying attention to them or they are fighting.

   Finally, we find the supportive, quiet type.

   At any one point in time, a person can be all or just one of these. The best type of friend is the one who is all of these in one. At least that is how it is with girls.

   I have each type of friend, and let me tell you, the hardest ones to deal with are the users. As much as you want to be there for them in their time of crisis, it helps if they can be there for you, too.

   Sometimes it hurts to be used in such a manner. You find yourself having no pity for the things they put themselves through with their other friends.

   As much as you wish for things to get better, you slowly realize that no matter how often you say you will be there for them, they only want you when they can’t get in touch with anyone else. What is bad is when you make that friend mad; there is no end to it.

   Things are not always like this. Some friends stick by you to the end of whatever you are going through. These are the friends you need to keep. These friends will be there for you no matter what.

   When you lose your mind and need to run away, you can run to their house. When you are bogged down with stressful situations, they are the ones who take you out for a night on the town.

   Occasionally, we all need to just run around and not worry about what will happen if we don’t do that one assignment or go to work. Call in sick to yourself. You don’t need to break the law. You can just go to a park, swing on the swings, play tag, run around and quit thinking for a little while. It is not healthy to be serious all the time.

   I have a male friend who at the ripe old age of 19 cries over his girlfriend because she is too tired to talk to him after being out at a club all night with her friends. He needs to realize that just because a girl is too tired to talk, it doesn’t mean she will never talk to him.

   It just means that at this instant, she doesn’t feel like conversation and a possible fight because he wasn’t included in her evening’s plans.

   Just because a friend does not want to come out to play does not mean that person does not like you anymore.

   This advice actually applies to both males and females.

   If a guy doesn’t call a girl back, she shouldn’t cry because he doesn’t like her. He may just be out with his friends.

   And if it turns out that the guy/girl you like doesn’t like you, then move on. There are other fish in the sea. It does not matter how old you are.

   If you are not engaged or married, then do not worry when the relationship will end. A broken couple is not the end of the world.

   Friends are important. Take care of the good ones.