caity.nu

I consider myself a very accepting person. I am very compassionate to other people’s shortcomings and do not think anything less of them if they possess qualities that are different from my own. I like to believe that the world is a better place having so many different kinds of people in it. It would be so boring otherwise. I like to be accepting of people’s ideas, even if they are very opposite of mine, and I respect what other people have to say because of this.

There is one person that I just cannot accept for who they are, though. Myself. No matter what I do, I am never good enough for me. I see all my flaws and shortcomings and do not allow them to slide. I analyze myself so harshly and do not ever give myself the benefit of the doubt. If I’ve done something good, then it still wasn’t good enough because I was capable of more. My positive qualities are diminished by qualities that I do not like about myself. It’s just how I have always been.

When I was still in school, my parents would reward my sister and me for getting good grades on our report cards. I would always bring home very good grades and my parents were always pleased. I was never pleased, though. Often times in high school I wouldn’t take their reward and insisted that it still wasn’t good enough and that I should have tried harder because it still wasn’t my best. I was always the hardest on myself.

The good thing, though, is that I am definitely getting better all the time at seeing my good points and being as accepting of myself as I am of others.

Make new friends
But keep the old
One is silver
And the other gold

Does anyone else remember that cute little song from the Girl Scouts? I remember singing it with my friends throughout grade school (and even afterward) and having it always remind me that although we always make new friends throughout our lives, we should never forget the ones we already have.

Since I will be moving to New Zealand sometime in the near future, I think it is important to remember that, although I will be making new friends, I must never forget all my friends here in America. I will have to keep in touch with them and always remember that my friends make up a part of who I am. At least that is what I believe.

What do you think makes a good friend? Here are some qualities that I think are truly important. They are values that have guided me through many friendships and hopefully will continue to do so throughout the rest of my life.

1. You must always be able to trust your friend. You should know that if your friend tells you something, it is fact. If they promise to keep your secrets, they will (unless they feel you are in danger). You can leave them with your most treasured belongings and they will keep them safe.
2. Your friend must be honest. They must always tell you the truth, even when the truth might not be what you want to hear. Real friends don’t hide the truth from each other.
3. A friend must always be able to listen. Being able to truly sit back and listen to what you have to say, knowing when to give advice and when an understanding ear is needed, is very important.
4. A true friend will always understand what you mean. They will understand what you need. They will understand what you are talking about. They will understand all of these things even when you sometimes don’t.
5. A good friend will be able to make sacrifices. It might be something as simple as sacrificing your choice of places to hang out together for something your friend wants. It could be offering a friend some much needed cash to get them through a rough time in their lives. It could even be something as serious as giving a kidney to the person you truly care about.
6. True friends respect each other. A friend should treat you how they want to be treated and should never treat you with anything less than their best. Respect also includes time not spent together, and allowing you some alone time once in a while.
7. A friend should be supportive. They should always back you up in your endeavors and fight your battles with you, but not for you. Friends stick by each other.
8. Sharing some interests is pretty important when it comes to friendship. You should have some things in common with your friend. Maybe you like to do the same things, share some of the same ideas, or like to hang out in similar places. Doing something you love with a friend makes it that much more special.
9. A friend should be helpful and always willing to lend a hand. Favors should be done with gladness and not because they are expecting something in return. Friends should want to be helpful and go out of their way for their friends and that’s okay – because their friend will want to do the same for them!
10. Most of all, a friend should be kind and should love you for who you are.

What qualities do you look for in a friend?

Do you think that everything happens for a reason? I don’t really think of it exactly like that but I have a similar school of thought. Perhaps things don’t go exactly as you want at a specific point in your life, but if they don’t go that way, maybe certain events down the line that are really amazing won’t be able to happen. Consequently, sometimes when really great things happen to us, it sometimes causes some events that might not be so fantastic to spiral into effect.

I guess I like to think of life’s events as a series of cause and effect but when you really analyze it, I guess it could be explained as “everything happens for a reason.” I suppose it just depends what way you try and describe it.

How do you look at it? Do you think that everything happens for a reason? Is there just cause and effect? Is there just no explanation for the events that are thrown at us?