Re-Evaluating Friends

Since I started writing about friendship and what it means to be a friend and forgiving friends I have been thinking about the friends I have or rather the people who call themselves my friends. If I was the kind of person who did not forgive people I wouldn't have any friends, in fact I only have a select few that I talk to on a regular basis. There have been things said and done to me, that any other person would end the friendship and not even think twice about talking to the person who hurt them.

I mean I have a friend, someone who was supposed to be my friend barely call or talk to me. When I lived with mom, she said I lived too far away (15-20 minutes) now that I'm in Pittsburgh I'm definitely too far away. But what hurt the most was she wasn't going to acknowledge Tom and mine's relationship until 6 months, she didn't even want to know his name. But when i needed a friend the most she was there, several times. I keep thinking things are different now because our lives changed when she got married, I know that happens when one friend marries and the other doesn't.

I used to have a friend that tried to force me to press charges on the man who assaulted me, and grew angry when I didn't want to do it. He wanted me to do everything his way, the way he wanted. I forgave all the hurtful things he said to me, and when I didn't want to met his girlfriend I was a horrible friend. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I lost plenty of friends, many who I am having a hard time getting back into talking to because it's been so long. I already have a hard enough time making friends.

I admit that there are times when I think people are not being enough of a friend, or I wonder why am I friends with certain people. Can my forgiveness and understand be tested to the limit and taken advantage of?