I loved the Wonder Years…

One of the things I loved most about it was the theme song. I’m a tv theme song junkie… ask me to “sing” one, I probably know it. Anyhow, if went something like…

“what would you do if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me? Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song. I will try not to sing out of key. I get by with a little help from my friends…”-Joe Crocker (The Beatles), With a Little Help From My Friends

Friendship is a mighty powerful dynamic. It is more powerful, I believe than familial or romantic bonds. For familial bonds that don’t become friendships and romantic bonds that don’t begin as friendship tend to fade away as we get older, or at least get less of our time and our attention.

What is friendship? I believe it’s a bond or commitment between two people who share an affection towards one another to share the ups and downs of life with love, respect, compassion, admiration, care, and concern. I think all of it is necessary… the bond, the affection, the sharing, and the emotion.

It’s “through good times and bad times, I’ll be by your side” but it’s also …

“whenever you need me I’m already there
Its gettin’ done hangin’ out the window
Sayin’ WOOO motherfucker UH 
You ride for me I’m a ride for you its only fair!” -Mystikal, How Many

We can be arm in arm and braiding each other’s hair or gully with it… doesn’t matter, again, it takes mutual affection, sharing, emotion, and commitment. That can come in many forms… and it might just be me hanging out the window ready to ride!

But all friendships don’t last.

Or were those really friendships at all.

I’ve been friends with folks since kindergarten, the second grade, the ninth grade, college, and made new friends just this year. I’m not friendly, but I take my friendships seriously. I honor code, I’m down to ride, I got your back, I’ll watch your kids, I’ll get on a plane, whatever is required. I have rarely lost a friend. Lost contact temporarily perhaps, fallen out with them and had to get back right, but lost… I can count on one hand and still not use all my fingers. Cuz generally, if you sing out of tune I’m gonna get up and sing with your ass.

However, there is one type of person (there are multiple but only one that fits this topic) I cannot do… Quitters. She and I cannot be and will never be friends despite what was, there is no making up… that’s a character trait that isn’t going away, and I’m uninterested and unavailable. I can forgive a dishonest moment. I can forgive a weak moment. I can forgive foolishness. But I can’t forgive what or who you are, I have to accept it. And if what you are is a quitter, I accept it, just can’t fuck wit it.

A quitter in friendship is usually supremely self-righteous. A self-righteous person is so narrow minded they think they are always right or believe they are morally superior, and will exit stage left in order to maintain that fallacy as fact. You can have that shit.

“No hard feelings…

I once had an argument with Righteous Ramona who expected me to act a certain way to appease her, and I refused. I should be accepted as is , just as I accepted her. Ramona then accused me of being selfish because I wouldn’t bend to her whim. Cuz that’s what “real” friends do… they change to be what you need. INCORRECT!!!! Now I can be selfish, but with her I had NEVER been, in fact I was more than giving and accommodating and open with her than most. She showed up at my home unannounced and wasn’t on fire, and I let her in and didn’t curse her out. She asked to borrow money that she never paid back, and I just decided that it was a gift. C’mon fam… case closed. She stood so solidly on that shaky AF premise, she was willing to die alone on that hill and not continue the climb. Well I’m on a hike not a one way trip, so stay there.

…I wish you well!

I had another “friend”, Moral Mildred, who was what I like to call a convenient moralist. When you sing Freak Like Me by Adina Howard one day and the next only associate with the mass choir… that’s some Christian holy haberdashery that I want no part of. My God loves and accepts us all… hers clearly doesn’t. I heard her sermon loud and clear… I received that message. So more power to Milly, I hope her faith remains fortified, her ridiculousness doesn’t rob her, and she gets her moral rocks off hard on every block. But as for me and mine, we shall dwell in the house of be who tf you are. I’ll leave you to deal with judgements on your judgement day… a jury I surely won’t be apart of. Let the church say…

No hard feelings…

But were those really friendships at all? I don’t really have the answer to that. But I do know this… friends are God’s gift to you to pick who you do life with. We get the family we get, but we select our friends. They are a blessing. We must treat them as such. I also know that because we select them, we can unselect them as well. As we grow and change and become more of who we really are, we may just realize that those people we thought were our friends were just lessons.

…I wish you well!”-Zo, Wishing You Well

As for me and my friends… we sing along and hang out the window! Can’t stop… won’t stop!