What is a friend?

     Facebook has been very revealing. It's been a blessing and a burden. You get to see who your friends truly are and who they are not. Definitely bitter sweet. What is a friend? What are some qualities that makes someone a good friend? What are some of the things you expect from your friends? When I call someone a friend it means a lot. I expect my friends to be supportive, responsive and available.
       Facebook reveals people's hearts. You may invite your "friend" out to lunch and your "friend" ignores your post for weeks, yet when someone else invites them they respond within minutes. Revealing, right? You may start a business page or fan page in order to bring attention to your work and yet only half your "friends" bother showing any support even though you've made a point to advertise it several times. Revealing, right? The different revealing scenarios is endless, but each just as painful when you realize what's been uncovered, which is, your "friend" doesn't really like you and is probably not your "friend" at all. Just someone who is polite when they see you in person.
       I have two facebook pages. The 1st page is for everyone who adds me. It's pretty general and I use it for ministry. I have several thousand friends on there and I don't expect much, though I'm continually surprised at how much more supportive strangers are than people I actually know. My 2nd page is for people I know in person - it's more personal. I share about my personal life and post pictures of my family. I have several hundred friends on there, but I'm constantly cleaning it out. I expect more from people on that page. They are suppose to be those closest to me. I don't want people to simply spy on my life and yet there heart be far from me.
       People whose heart's are far from you are usually not supportive (though they may not outwardly say so, their actions speak loud and clear), they are not responsive, and never available (in anyway). Yet they spy on your life through Facebook. I don't have time for these relationships. As I find out who these people are I delete them. They can remain friends with me on my 1st page (the general one).
       Technology has changed relationships in a big way. We can not ignore it's effects. School, church and business relationships are touched by online social networking. Friendships will either be strengthened or thrown away many times solely based on interactions online. I believe this is because in person people can wear a "face" and be fake, whereas online you must take actions either by responding, participating or joining. It's made blatantly obvious when you don't which then reveals you were merely wearing your "face" in person. Facebook shows everyone you're "friends" with every time you interact with other people you are "friends" with. Those you really don't like soon begin to wonder, "hmm, they interact with everyone else. I guess they don't want to interact with me. Are we friends?" Sad but true.
       Many of relationships are shattered because of the freedoms online. I'm not sure people fully know how to manage these freedoms for the good of all yet, or realize how revealing their actions or lack of actions are (unless of course you are the one being rejected, in that case, you realize it all to well *hugs*).
     Anyways, I guess as I get older I expect more from those I allow close to me. I've never been one to stick around were I felt unwanted or cling to people that didn't have a desire to cling back. :-) Friendship needs to be mutual. Friends should be equally excited about each other and equally willing to meet in the middle and sometimes give more than they are getting. So for me I'm thankful for the revealing aspect of Facebook, though it's caused many tears I feel the pruning always makes me stronger and more secure with the love I do have from those that truly love me and I them. :-)