by Judy Zabriskie

Created on: August 14, 2011   Last Updated: August 15, 2011

True friends are hard to find and even more difficult to keep.  Throughout the years I have had had many acquaintances but very few true friends.  When things are going well and one is able to provide emotional, financial and all other variations of support, friends are plentiful but lest you need a friend for support in any way most of these so-called friends, be they relatives, cyber friends, childhood friends, local friends, college friends, work friends - well they seem to disappear into the woodwork.  It is during your times of strife and need that you find who your true friends are and these people who choose to stand beside you, aide you in any way and are there to support you are the ones you might least likely suspect.

For years I knew I could not count on my immediate family   I was the true Cinderella of our household.  Be there when needed but stay out of the way if things were going well and your services were not required.  I learned that my only true friend was myself.  The only person I could count on was ME.  As I grew older, married and had a child I found that my husband and son were to become friends who, in their own way, stood by me, praised me when praise was due, supported me through triumphs and stayed at my side even during strife and hardship.  I learned to trust in these two individuals and to this day they are considered my true best friends.  People I have supported through their sorrows and relished in their triumphs basically used me for their own needs and cast me aside in my times of need save for a few individuals whom I would never have thought to have been “good friends.”

Because of Facebook I have reconnected with a friend from Junior High School, resuming our friendship as if the many years had not passed and we had not lost touch for these many years.  We have both had our share of sorrows but we have also relished in each other’s joys (hers being that of grandchildren and marriages and mine in career triumphs, ultimately marrying and have a very successful son of my own.) We have also had our share of sorrows and although we live miles apart the Internet has kept us close and extremely supportive of one and other during these hardships, knowing that each can be counted on to give that necessary support and pat on the back and the “it will be okay” and even the occasional phone call to let the other know we are here for them. 

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