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7/2/13

I find myself having a few different classes or categories of friends.  I have my inner circle, which consists of a few people, most of which I have known for a very long time.  I have one friend that I would put in that category whom I have only known for a few years.  I have to be confident that a new person will be accepted by the inner circle before I bring the new person in.  In my younger days I made the mistake of not properly vetting a few new friends, which just leads to awkward moments when they are injected into the circle.  My closest friends and I are not mean or cruel people, but we are all very blunt and honest with each other, and we all share at least mostly similar world views.  This can be a problem if a new person doesn't really fit in that well.  I then have a set of friends which I would consider just that, friends.  They are mostly also people who I have known for quite a while.  They are all accepted by the inner circle, but are not necessarily a part of it.  I see these people every few weeks, and enjoy their company quite a bit.  Typically they have commitments that prevent us from spending any more time together which is why they are not a part of the inner circle.  I then have acquaintances, which are people I have known and been friendly with, but that I do not strive to make any sort of effort to maintain a relationship.  A problem I sometimes encounter is that people who are acquaintances consider me to be more than that.  I love talking to people and joking around.  Throughout my work history I have been “work friends” with many people, in which we hang out and joke around at work quite a bit.  I just don’t have the time or desire to maintain dozens of friendships, and so ultimately I have to choose who I will put in the work to stay friends with.  I sometimes wonder if I moved to a different town and didn't have my longstanding social network, how it would all play out or if I would feel any differently.