You gotta have friends

"A friend is one who walks in when others walk out"
-Walter Winchell

I've been thinking about friends a lot recently. When I first became ill and was bed bound (or rather, couch bound) I felt the loss of friendship deeply. When I was well I made the effort, I went out to all the social events, I approached anyone and everyone and was happy with the friends I had. I classed everyone as my friend. It all changed when I was no longer fit enough to make the effort. People had to come to me and so my social life dwindled rapidly. The odd few came to visit and I still think back now at what great friends they were to make that effort for me.
Once I got a bit of energy back and was able to make more of an effort to go out my friends increased again and life was good. I was social again.
Now I'm pretty much housebound. I'm no longer able to make the effort to go out that often. What I value now as much as I did in the beginning are those friends who make the effort when I'm not able to, and to those new friends I've made because they come to help me in my hour of need. It's times like these when true friends show their worth. This is a shout out to them, and a wake up call to me. I hope I can be that kind of friend in someone else's time of need.