Acquaintances - people that you meet, say hi and bye and are basically not that important in your life...
Friends - well, this is difficult to define for me because I don't know how to put people in this category after being back-stabbed.
Buddy - this..shopping buddy, drinking buddy, clubbing buddy and I learnt a new kind of buddy that I shouldn't mention here.
Companion - obviously people whom you seek out to accompany you and talk to when you are happy or upset or just need a listening ear.
Lastly, Soul mate - crappy as it may sound but sometimes in life, some people may never find some one that can take on the term 'Soul mate'.
Thing is, do people in your circle move up or down on this hierarchy? How do you justify their move? For me, I've yet to really differentiate between an 'acquaintance' and a 'friend' before. But now, I know that its not how you differentiate them but how they categorise you in their life. Some times to them, you are just not worth the effort or even better - they'll just give you the 'face-work' of being your friend. Shall I call them 'fakes'? But probably, this is how they make their life work. I remember learning in ESAP that making friends is equal to 'making use'. You always 'make use' or exchange needs with your friends. Seriously, I find this very true. Companionship, listening ears, BFFs - on the underside of it..you are just exchanging needs with each other.
I do know that I am lucky to find a couple of soul mate and some companions in my life.
Was telling Siti yesterday that my greatest regret would probably be losing contacts with many friends whom I've spent some of my happiest time with. I believe it really takes a lot of effort from both parties to keep any relationship going and this effort has to be relentless.
