Picture this: It’s 3:00 am on New Year’s Day. Your annual New Year’s Eve party has just ended. Everyone’s starting to leave, and your friends hug you, blow kisses, and drunkenly yell that they had a blast as they slam the door on their way out.
You change out of your fancy party outfit, throw your hair in a messy bun, take a deep breath, and look around. You see the bottles all over the floor, cups scattered throughout your kitchen, and bowls of food all over the house. As you shudder at the amount of time it’s going to take you to clean up the mess, you see three of your friends picking up trash and smiling, maybe even cracking a few jokes as they go. You don’t understand why they’re helping you, though. They don’t need to because it wasn’t their mess to clean up.
Keep these people in your life for as long as you can, and don’t ever take advantage of them.
These people are friends who are worth keeping. They’re not just the ones who “pop the champagne” when you receive good news. They also hold your hand during the most devastating moments of your life. When it feels like you’re watching your world crumble before your eyes, these true friends are the ones who somehow manage to help you hold yourself together.
Sure, the friends who celebrate with you are great, but they’re most likely temporary. After all, if they’re not willing to spare 5 minutes to help you clean up your messes, will they really stick around for life? Sure, maybe they asked if you need help but as soon as you said “no” they left. You shouldn’t need to beg friends to support you.
Those friends who want to celebrate but also clean up the bottles with you the day after will always be there for you. Not only will they show up with balloons to celebrate, but they’ll also take you on a coffee date when you need to get your mind off of life.They won’t just check if you need a ride, they’ll it and wait for you until your ride shows up. Not only will they be around to help you ring in the new year, but they’ll also show up in their pajamas when a late-night emergency arises.
These friends are the ones who truly matter.
You and your friends may have your differences, but true friends always stick with you through hard times.
If you have friends who stick around to clean up after the party or always answer your calls, don’t ever let them go. As we grow older, it’s hard to find true friends who selflessly act on our behalves. So let these friends know how much you care and cherish every memory you make together. Always be the friend who stays to pick up the bottles, because the world needs more people like you.
Featured Photo by Genessa Panainte on Unsplash.
