Ever evolving meaning of FRIEND...

Some people talk about how many "friends" some of us have on Facebook. They talk about how no one could have that many friends. How we just 'collect' them so that our numbers will be really high. And some people talk about 'spring cleaning' and 'clearing house' etc of their FB friends to lower that number... make it more manageable.

Some people like to make fun of those of us who enjoy social media networks. As if it was a total waste of time. REALLY, it is NOT a total waste of time! It CAN be, but it doesn't Have to be. It can be lucrative for your business, it can be beneficial to your craft, it can be a balm to your very soul. Who knows... it Could be healing for the world, lord knows FB is a INTERNATIONAL phenomenon.

I believe we are honestly becoming a world without borders... if only governments would recognize that. BUT that's a subject for a whole other discussion.

Everytime I think about purging some of my friends list I look through it and think, "I really need to whittle this down a bit" but I can't bring myself to delete anyone. Someone once said to me, "but Peg, you've never met a stranger, have you?" And I guess he was right.

So what about that LONG list of Facebook friends? Are they really friends? In my case, I have a long list of people with whom I attended highschool. Now, it's been my recent, exciting and Wonderful experience that so many of these people have definitely become friends even if we really weren't close when we went to school.
Then there are the folks I've met through motorcycling, teaching motorcycling, massage school, massaging, teaching massage, past jobs.

There are some FB "friends" that I've never met in person. But I still consider them friends or in some cases, colleagues.

But through it all there are those... the real Tried and True Friends, the ones you KNOW will be there. Some of them you talk to (actually talk to... on the phone or in person) every single day. Some of them you only get to 'talk' to via a computer, a text message, skype perhaps. Some of them you communicate with on a sporadic basis. Some of these aren't even ON Facebook (and to those few I will cut and paste this). But you KNOW they are there and they always will be. To those friends I offer a song.

If I was with you at this moment I'd actually sing it for you

(whether you want me to or not... hah).

Thank you for being a friend
Traveled down the road and back again
your heart is true you're a pal and a confidant
I'm not ashamed to say
I hope it always will stay this way
My hat is off,
won't you stand up and take a bow

And if you threw a party
Invited everyone you knew
You would see, the biggest gift would be from me
and the card attached would say, Thank you for being a friend

Thank you for being a friend
Thank you for being a friend
Thank you for being a friend

If it's a car you lack
I'd surely buy you a cadillac
Whatever you need, anytime of the day or night
I'm not ashamed to say
I hope it always will stay this way
My hat is off, won't you stand up and take a bow

And when we both get older
With walking canes and hair of gray
Have no fear, even though it's hard to hear
I will stand real close and say,
Thank you for being a friend (I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend (I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend (I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend (I want to thank you)
Let me tell you bout a friend (I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend (I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend (I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend

And when we die and float away
Into the night, the Milky Way
You'll hear me call, as we ascend
I'll see you there, then once again
Thank you for being a friend
Thank you for being a friend (I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend (I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend (I want to thank you)
Thank you for being a friend
Whoa, tell you about a friend (Thank you right now, for being a friend)
Thank you for being a friend (I wanna tell you right now, and tell you again)
Thank you for being a friend (I wanna thank you, thank you, for being a friend)
Thank you for being a friend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOqyygAQSX0