They say blood is thicker than water.
I disagree. Strongly.
Sometimes family gives you less than friends do. Most would say I’m cold or monstrous for saying I believe friends can be more important in one’s life than family, and many will disagree with me, but quite frankly, I don’t really care.
I’ve been through quite a bit in my life. I will begin revealing more in the near future, but for now, I’ll just say thank you to the universe for my friends.
I wouldn’t even say that friends have to be physically present. There is no template that defines a friend. It could be someone you’ve just met, the person you shared a desk with in primary school, an ex-lover, or someone who you’ve never met in person before. Maybe this person replaced you when you quit your job – who knows?
The thing about friendship is this. You make that connection and you instantly jump on each other’s life trains. Sometimes you stay, sometimes you leave. Sometimes it’s them who leave. The important thing is to remember who was on your life train when you really needed someone to be there. Now that, my dear readers, is family.
Family members are those people who love you for who you are regardless. Those people who are happy to hear from you even if you haven’t called in months. People who just cross your path by pure coincidence because you had an injury, and people who you’ve only met once or twice, yet you know you can count on them for advice and opinions.
The ones you keep close to your heart, that’s who your real family is. It could very well be the traditional mother, father, sister, or brother, but it could also be that person who you have an unbreakable bond with, despite everything 10+ years throw at you.
I have about 20 million cliches to add here, but I won’t, just because I hate cliches as much as the next person. You all know what I am talking about, but let’s keep them to our imagination for now.
I am lucky to know what true friendship is. I feel fortunate to be able to say that my life train is full. Some are people who I have daily contact with while others are more aloof. Yet all of them are there when I need them, and I feel very grateful for that.
This post is dedicated to them. If you feel you recognised yourself while reading, then you’re probably one of the people I was thinking about while writing this.
Thank you for being a part of my life. I’d be lost without you.
