I expect some basic things from friends. Things such as like loyalty, trust, a sympathetic ear, not flaking out, and returning phone calls. In the past when they didn’t come through for me, I used to get mad and disappointed. They didn’t live up to my expectations as a friend.

Nowadays I look at it differently. When I meet a new friend, I have a pre-set level of expectations. If they don’t come through for me, I just lower my expectations of what I should be getting from them. I’ll try my best to be a good friend back to them, but if I don’t come through once in a while I won’t feel guilty anymore.

I try to look at it from their point of view. If they don’t see anything wrong with what they are or aren’t doing, why should I? Instead, I just apply their viewpoint when I think about how I should be treating them as a friend.

OK, I know I know, do unto others as you would have them do you…I mean unto you. I’ll try.