My friend checked in on me a number of times during a recent illness. Her messages were short, kind, and caring. That meant a lot to me. That friend is always loving, kind, and present. She's honest too about who she is and where she is headed in life. She is a true friend.
Sometimes those who we think are our friends are not friends at all. Instead they are connections we've made over time, but connections without the care and concern that true friendship brings. The same is likely true for us--we may consider ourselves friends to some, but then we might not follow through in the ways that real friends do.
As I think about this, I recognize that there are many variations of friendships as we can't be super close, intimate friends with everyone--there just isn't the time to do this on top of all of life's other duties.
With that in mind, we have to choose a few that we'll stay very close to, and when choosing we have to acknowledge that some of those choices may last and some may not for all kinds of reasons. Over time our friendships will shift. Onward.