Friends and Family　

　　I was thinking about how everybody can't be everthing to each other ,but some people can be somethig to each other ,thank God ,from the ones whose shoulder you cry on to the ones whose half-slips you borrow to the nameless ones you chat with in the grocery line.

　　Buddies ,for example ,are the workhorses of the friendship world ,the people out there on the front lines ,defending you from loneliness and boredom. They call you successes and curse you misfortunes, and you do the same for them in return.They hold out through innumerable crises before concluding that the person you're dating is no good ,and even then understand if you ignore their good counsel.They accompany you to a movie with subtitles or to see the diving pig at Aquarena Springs. They feed your cat when you are out of town and pick you up from the airport when you get back.They even come over to help you decide what to wear on a date .Even if it is with that creep.

　　What about family members ?Most of them are people you just got stuck with ,and though you love them,you may not have very much in common. But there is that rare exception ,the Relative friend.