The friendships that we are given, do not be mistaken, they truly are gifts given to us by God.  They enrich our very lives without our permission or without us even realizing it.  God mysteriously weaves a ribbon of joy through our interaction with them.  We can see ourselves more clearly, our imperfections surfacing in their midst.  I think God allows it, and we choose either to grow up and out of our own selves or stay stuck.  Good friends are honest with each other and good friends are very open to sharing the journey they are living with God.  Let us take the time to really listen and to speak less and to learn more so that we can become everything to God and God becomes everything to us.  We have so much to learn and our time here is so very short.  Lets not waste it on things and lets invest it in the people after all we are a people of God.