diamond in the rough

Friends. Someone once told me it's God's way of apologising for family. I think that's kinda funny *haha* Hundreds of different names are going through my mind currently. However, the truth is, there aren't many people I can honestly refer to as a friend. Acquaintances is a much suitable word.

From Simple English Wikipedia
A friend is a person that someone likes or knows. People who are friends talk to each other and spend time together. They also help each other when they are in trouble. Friends are people that can be looked up to and trusted. A friend is one who admires a person's skill and helps or encourages them to make the right choices.

It turns out I'm a very good friend to many people. Sadly enough, not nearly as much people can return the favor. I have noticed this in the past few months. A person I can truly call a friend, and myself, have been silently observing other 'friends' and not many people make the cut.

We notice that we tend to have more 'friends' when we have something not everybody can get their hands on. The minute everyone gets a piece of it, they vanish. Nowhere to be seen until the next great thing. And their absence just kills you when you need them the most.

Many of our 'friends' are also two-faced. They say one thing to either of us, and another to the other. We figured out that most people are happier following the crowd rather than standing up for what they believe in, even though it's their friend's loyalty they're betraying. There's also a sign of envy within friends. It's almost like they don't want you to succeed if they're not confident in themselves to do better. Why can't people just be happy for each other's achievements?

A friend of mine recently flew off to continue his studies abroad. He was quite a wealthy guy and never cared about spending money on 'friends'. Not only did he give out money, he also invested an abundance of faith in his 'friends'. And when the time came that he needed all of us by his side, only a few of us showed up. He didn't say anything of it, but the disappointed look on his face gave it away.

There is someone I have known for a really long time now. I had always been there for him when he needed me. Even if it was the smallest of things, I wouldn't hesitate to lend a hand. Not too long ago, I was severely ill and alone at home. I needed food but was in no shape to leave the house, not to mention drive. I picked up my phone and gave him a call. It turned out he was nearby and was about to leave our housing area to go to Hartamas. I asked him to pick up some food for me before he left. I didn't really catch much of what he said, but it turns out that he's late and I'm a nuisance for asking him to execute such a heavy burden. I was extremely upset with him for the longest time. I can never forget it, but I try to ignore it.

As sad is it may seem, I have concluded that only a small percentage of the people I know truly deserve to be cared for.

Don't get me wrong now, I am very happy with my life at the moment. However, this perplexity will continue to fog my mind.