The dark side of the force has clouded their vision, my friend.

Friendship can be a strange thing. It can sometimes go as fast as it arrived. A chance meeting, a mere head nod in passing, or a simple introduction through someone can turn into a lifelong friend. As well, a single statement, someone else's word, or the wrong decision can simply end it. I pride myself on the friends that I surround myself with. In many ways I cherish them more than family, due to the fact that they can leave. They don't have to love me like family. They don't have to put up with my shit. They don't have to stand by me unconditionally. Friends are rented. You "pay" them with your laughter, stories, help, company, and understanding. If at any time you fail to make a payment, a friend can up and leave. That is why I hold my friends up and above all. They choose to stick with me through tough decisions. They help make the tough times easier by their own choice. They willingly give their time to make mine more enjoyable. Every once in a while though a friend will slip through the cracks. You lose touch, move away, come to a crossroads, or disagree on an obstacle. Poof, they are gone. Sometimes they come back. Sometimes an agreement can be reached, Sometimes it is goodbye. I feel that I have lost very few "true friends" in my lifetime, all for various reasons. Some I consider unfortunate, others not so much in hindsight. I consider myself a genuine person, I have flaws I will be the first to admit that. But I stay true to my beliefs, my family, and mostly my friends. That will never go away.