I do not live in a "happy, ideal world with no problems."
When people go to college, they change. But this isn't limited to
college, if you go anywhere, you experience new things, make choices in
your life, and hopefully grow. People change no matter what, that is a
fact. "Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens."
You may not always like the changes a person makes, but sometimes,
you are so busy noticing the differences, you forget about the
similarities.
"When you first meet people all you notice are the differences between you
and them, but as time passes you start noticing the similarities. I guess
that's how all friendships begin," but if you only concentrate on the
differences, friendships may never begin and others will end.
I have good friends, and feel privileged to have such good, close friends.
I don't think I would have such friends if all I did was hold grudges and
look at their "bad" points, which is a relative term. What may be "bad"
to one person, is not so to another. What may be "true" to one person,
may be untrue to another. What is the truth? I think it is you who are
living in a "happy, ideal world" if you believe that your opinion is the
definitive truth. One person's opinion is just that, an opinion, it is
not the truth.
I also don't believe the line about "trying to bring into the open issues
to which [people] may have been blind." If these "problems" are an issue,
then talk to the person about it, and try to settle things, don't just
take cheap shots at people. Because in the descriptions, behind a veil of
friendship, was an insult. How can you expect people to understand you,
and become closer friends with you if all you do is push them
away, ridicule them, and dwell on their "bad" qualities.
It is true "good cannot exist without the bad" but again, these are
relative terms.
"True friendship derives from true understanding,"...maybe, or maybe vice
versa, and it is the understanding that derives from the friendship, and
if "nobody truly understands" you...well, whose fault is that? Or is it
anyone's fault?
If you look at the world, friends, and life pessimistically, well, it's
your loss. Live life to it's fullest, and appreciate what you have
instead of agonizing over what you don't have. Look for the goodness in
people. Accept people for who they are, and not what you want them to
be, or what they once were. The future you experience does not have to be
a bleak, dark one.
Stop looking for love, it will find you;
Stop looking for a life, you will find yours;
Stop worrying about the way others live their life, live your own;
Stop dreading the future, face it.
Stop lamenting the past, treasure the memories.
oh...and drink some Keystone.
This is just an opinion, it is not necessarily the truth. Read this and
think about what I've said...or ignore it...and wait for me to put up
something funny.
JM 11.30.1997
