Friends

Friendship is a worthwhile thing; it is the nurturing we can offer other people, without being expected to give anything more.

Friendship is a parallel-processing event; the mutual acknowledgement of some thing, and its subsequent development.

Friendship is a resource-distribution  mechanism; sometimes our friends are the only ones who can see and provide what we need.

Friendship is an eternal hunting party; forever creeping up the next hill, looking for the game that will secure the tribe through winter.



But, we can only have so many friends.
Every individual person, each potential "friend" only has the capacity to know and care about and nurture so many others. Somehow, we have to find a boundary that helps us unite our friends into simpler groups. Then, we can either think of our friends as groups of friends, or simply as a division between friends and not-friends. In reality, we do both. The form of the division is like friendship itself, and completely ethereal. It is indistinct to the holder, an arbitrary rule applied out of necessity; whether the given justification is food, water, women, or widgets.

Friendship is universal; given in all forms, reciprocated in kind.

Friendship is arbitrary; the in-group is good, the out-group is bad.

Friendship is conviction; good is good, bad is bad.

Friendship is survival; we will survive.

Like so many other parts of our experience, the joy we find in fraternization is just an evolutionary echo. An instant of joy; the resonant tone of survival. With your friends, you are a member of the potential. You are a part and participant of the future. Whether they just read your blog or share your breakfast, the people you are willing to provide for define you.

Without your friends; you are you. You are only the need to survive. The need to consume; food, clothes, space, air. But as a member of the group; your needs merge with the groups', and the groups' potential gives you a shot at experiencing something more than base survival.

Friendship is humanity; none may claim value without attesting to the value of their fellows.