Who's Your Friend?

I can count all my close friends on one hand. We all have friends... but how do you give one a priority over another to say, this one is best or not. 

Who are your best friends? Who are your close friends? I should have more than 5 after all the places I've traveled to, all the places I've worked (schools, included). 

Facebook only gives you three choices: Friends, Close Friends (with a star attached) and Acquaintances. Then you can group them by places you worked or other FB Groups you belong to. 

Is there such a thing as to categorize your friends? Of course there is.  I'll use the quote from Audry Rubin Nathan:

"There are four categories of friends:

1. Breakfast Friends: Someone you know from a daily routine.  The lady that works at the dry cleaner that says hello every week. She knows you have children, and you ask about her children but you really don’t know each other.  You see each other every week so you notice things about each other.  There is something comforting about knowing that she knows how you like your shirts done.
2. Lunch Friends: Imagine yourself in a high school cafeteria or at work or in a conference or a class.  Somewhere with a large group of people and looking at that group you choose a smaller group to be with.  You are all in in the same place for a period of time and you choose to sit with or talk to (or have lunch with) these people.  But the friendship is confined to that environment.
3. Dinner Friends: These are people you call up on purpose to get together with.  You make specific plans with them that you do not have to make but you want to be with them.  And your purposeful connection with them serves a purpose in your life. You went to college together or you worked together or you raised your kids together and at some point they got bumped up from a Lunch Friend to a Dinner Friend.
4. Sleepover Friends: someone you are extremely close with and can share almost anything with.  This can be a spouse, significant other, a friend, a relative but you feel a special bond with them that allows an intimate connection.

The way this theory works is that you need to really evaluate each person, put them in one of the 4 categories and then accept them and enjoy them.  Be ok with the fact that you will have many Breakfast friends, a few less lunch friends, less dinner friends and if you are really lucky one or two sleep over friends."

I'm glad she used some clarity on #4 - Sleepover Friends, when she said, "can share almost anything with."  Because I'm pretty sure, I don't have one friend I share everything with.  (Girlfriends, Wives or significant others don't be upset with this statement.)

What about neighbors?  My last set up neighbors could all be categorized in "1 thru 3, and maybe 4."  Really?? Neighbors??

Back to FB... Friends of Friends... want to be your friends.  But are you really "friends?" Let's be friends with the world!  (See -1 below.)

How many friends do you have on FB that you've never met, and more than likely will never meet?  Are you really friends?  Are they in category "1?"  Is there such a thing or category for these people? Category Minus 1 for friends on FB I've never met, or should that be "1+?"  FB does give you a warning when making friends that you actually don't know.  It's a safety and security issue... 'cause FB is looking out for you.

~ JG