“My solitude doesn’t depend on the presence or absence of people; on the contrary, I hate who steals my solitude without, in exchange, offering me true company.”
— Friedrich Nietzsche
I love the company of friends. People whom I can unwind with and be myself. It is easy to walk around with the self dressed in cordial drag presenting the correct social face but it is wearying. After awhile I want to go off by myself or open a book or be doing almost anything because social psychic drag itches more than the shirt that comes with a rented tuxedo. I much prefer friends with whom I can strip down to my psychic underwear with. Those who’s moods and modes I can handle and who can handle mine. I suppose there are people whom we spend time on and people whom we spend time with and I know inevitably which brings me comfort at the end of the evening. They are the ones who are true companions on the journey.
Blessings, G
Shared joy is increased,Shared pain lessened and thus we refute the law of entropy.”
–Spider Robinson
There are very few things better than sharing a good time with people whom we care about. We rack up memories of golden moments, of laughs and pure enjoyment of a day. We remember most the sunrises, sunsets and walks under the stars that we have shared with others and few things can be as wonderful as pure laughter of a joke shared. The joy of the moment is more than doubled.
Likewise when we are hurting, little helps more than being able to unburden ourselves on those we love. We can cry and cop to the things that we did wrong in the situation and ways we have hurt others and the pain that we allowed them to give us and find release where in solitude the pressure would just build up until we surrendered to it. It is important to have friends with whom we can do this and not fear the response, knowing that we will find understanding and solace and possibly a kick in the ass when we wallow in it. It helps also to know that we can be there for other people when they are hurting and be that sounding board they need, helping them find solution and absolution.
I have been lucky in my life to have people with whom I can share both joy and pain. They have taught me the true meaning of friendship and caring. I hope that I will have the chance to share this lesson with many others.
Blessings, G
The War Machine by G A Rosenberg 
