let's be friends

What does it take to become good friends? What makes a good friend? I've always had plenty of friends--in school, through different activities, at work. But when it really comes down to it, the number of good friends I have I can count on one hand. I think part of the reason is because it just takes me a while to open up and let down my barrier. This process can take months, even years. And in the end, there's no guarantee that a deep friendship will have blossomed. Perhaps we'll find the chemistry just isn't there. Perhaps we'll get sick of trying. Perhaps one of us will move away (I'm awful at staying in touch). I think it's okay to admit that some friendships just don't work.

As I've gotten older, I've become even more aware of how difficult it is to develop lasting friendships. That's because, I think, we become comfortable and complacent with the life we've built. We've too little time to spare. And we're all more sensitive to sincerity--or lack there-of. Small-talk doesn't cut the mustard anymore.

Reflecting on this, I could just kick myself for expecting Au Lait and our new little one, Suki, to become immediate friends. After just four days of walking on egg shells around our hissing resident cat, last night I finally cracked and got very stern with her. I told her to stop and just be nice. How dare I? The problem is that in this situation, there's really no room for anything but a loving bond. But in Au Lait's paws, I'd probably react much worse. These things take time. And nobody likes being told what to do.

In any case. Tonight, I was relieved to find that her Ladyship's hisses have mellowed. Little Suki's playful perseverance seems to be paying off. There's still a long way to go, but I'm hopeful.