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When I hear the word friend it congers up other words in my mind. Close, intimate, personal, trusting, forgiving, involved and dependable to name but a few. While I'd like to think there is enough of me to offer these traits to a large group of people, there just isn't. For me, a small group of friends is just the right size.

My experiences with friends are such that we sometimes talk for hours, jumping from one subject to the next. We enjoy each others company frequently. Our discussions are detailed and intimate, our honesty some times brutal. We take time to listen to the ills of each others lives, we go to funerals and birthday parties together, and we are close with each others respective families. Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't have the time for such interaction with a large group of friends.

Additionally, my friendships have developed over long periods of time, and are the result of innumerable interchanges, both good and bad. Many people come and go so quickly there is hardly enough time to build a friendship with them. I can count my friends on one hand, and I am blessed to have them. I don't have enough digits to count my acquaintances.

I think it's more rewarding to have a small group of friends. At least it is for me. If I tried to have too many friends, I fear I would stretch myself to thin, and become an unreliable acquaintance, rather than a dependable friend.

This is not to say that I have a certain number in mind when it comes to how many friends I would have. That's just foolishness. I only mean that I don't go out looking to meet some sort of friendship quota; my friendships just develop over time.

Acquaintances come and go, and there's always room for another. With friends however, I invest a lot of time into our relationships.

Friends remain steadfast, hold no grudges, and their understanding is remarkably rare. I don't have that many people in my life that fall into this category.

I care deeply for many people in my life, as I'm sure many of them care for me. However, I don't think there are more than a handful who would care to listen to the ills of my world for very long before looking for the nearest flashing neon exit sign.

Learn more about this author, Trudi Buck.
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