Drama Free

Yesterday was my husband's birthday, so we gathered up the crew and headed out to have some drinks and some laughs. Of course, as is the way of the Outer Banks, and probably small towns everywhere, there was drama. Anyone who knows me knows how much I despise drama. I truly think there is no bigger waste of time. Ugh, just thinking about it irritates me and makes me...irate.

I think that most of the drama that people deal with is self-inflicted. People pretend to be friends with other people, while telling lies behind their backs and stirring up a big fat pot of drama stew. I've never understood why anyone would pretend to be friends with anyone else in the first place. I surely don't waste my time on false pretenses, and I hope others don't waste time on me. If I don't like someone it's not the end of the world, it's just a fact that I deal with and move on. We're aren't supposed to like everyone, human nature doesn't work like that. But I don't spend all my time plotting against the people I dislike. In fact, I spend zero time doing or thinking anything about the people I dislike.

I don't expect everyone to like me either. In fact, I'm kind of a hard person to like at first, and sometimes later too. But if you don't like me, that's great. I have no problems with your dislike, and chances are high I feel the same about you. So let's just move in our own cirlces, yes?

No, apparently not. I will never understand why people who dislike each other pretend to be buddies and hang out all the time. And then wonder why the other is backstabbing them? I mean, seriously people, get a clue. These are not your friends.

I think that perhaps part of my problem with the whole "social acquaintance" and drama issues are that I have some of the greatest friends in the world. I'm not exaggerating when I say that. If you knew them you would agree with me, I have no doubt.

I have real friends who are always there for me. Not like on a stupid sticker on Myspace that says "Friends Forever", I mean they are ALWAYS THERE FOR ME. How many people actually have that? Not many, from what I've seen.

No matter how long we go without seeing each other, it's like we just hung out together the day before. No matter how long we go without calling each other, it's like no time has passed when we talk. There is no uncomfortableness, no self-consciousness, no lying, and no back-stabbing. These aren't rules for a club, they're facts of true friendship.

And I'm blessed and lucky enough to have this small, vital group of people in my life. They're always there, they'll always be there, and nothing can change that. Since I met these people over ten years ago, we've been through so many things, good and bad. Usually the bad was brought into the equation by me, more often than not, and they still love me as much or more than ever. And the same goes.

So I have these amazing friends, real friends, who I would never do evil things to, who would never do evil things to me. And I talk to these other people who tell horror stories about their "friends", and their on-again, off-again relationships with the same "friends". Drama, drama, drama.

Ugh.

I'm wondering if I should have more patience with these idiots or feel sorry for them. Well, in all fairness, they're not idiots. They probably don't even know what they're missing out on. Because while I cannot imagine a life without my most stupendous support system, they're probably like those little animals that live in the deepest caves and the depths of the ocean. How can one miss the sun if one has never experienced it?

It really does make me kind of sad for those people....but I'm also gloating a little bit on the inside. Because my friends are the best friends. And they're mine. For some reason I cannot fathom, they feel the same about me. My friends rock. Out loud, all the time.

Drama-free.