Slightly Off-Balance

Friends are like a well stocked bar.  A well stocked bar provides variety to suit your moods.  A crazy girls weekend calls for shots, a quiet night at home- a glass of wine, a Friday afternoon – margaritas.   Friends are similar.  Playdate mommies, co-workers and book club ladies all bring a different perspective and provide a different kid of fun or enrichment.  Friends can also cause hangovers in excess.  Good friends also get better with age and lousy friends turn to vinegar over time. 

They key to balance is learning over time which friends cause hangovers and should be enjoyed in moderation, which ones to invest heavily in because they will age and which ones will turn to vinegar and should be dumped.  It’s a simple theory, but tough in practice.  It took me years to realize spiced rum is the only drink I can do all day and that sugary drinks will lead to a hangover every time.  It’s even harder to acknowledge a toxic friend or ones that are deceivingly sweet.  I have been paying attention to my little voice lately and am starting to catalog my friends the way I do my bar.  This allows me to prioritize my time and surround myself with top shelf friends.

I feel very blessed to have a diverse group of friends and a well stocked bar!  What defines your top shelf or prized vintage friend?