I have a few friends I know I can count on to have a positive impact on me. I feel that I can trust them and know the issues I battle with will be kept in confidence.
Recently, I conducted a poll with my students studying the various stages of life according to Erik Erikson and the psychosocial crises of each stage. One of the poll questions was “How many friends do you have?” Since many of the students answered “ten or more”, this question led to a conversation about the difference between those who are friends and those who are acquaintances. I explained the difference to these young college students. I told them that they would be lucky to have two good friends in their lives. The people you work with are mainly acquaintances. Those are the folks that you have in your life that you “know” only on a surface level.
True friends are people you can trust who will be there for you no matter what. They are loyal to you by maintaining confidentiality and being there for you. These folks are far and few between over time. A true friend is happy for you when things in life go right, and sad for you when things do not go well. The true friend is there to pick you up when you are devastated and to jump for joy when something extraordinary happens. A true friend is there for you through thick and thin. True friends talk often, but sometimes a true friend is someone you do not speak to regularly, yet you can pick up where you left off the last time you spoke.
Acquaintances are folks who are nice to your face but may discuss your business you shared with them to others afterwards. Acquaintances are those you walk by and greet, but the content of your conversation is quite shallow. In the workplace, probably 98% of the people you work with are acquaintances and not friends. You will see these people on social networking frequently as they might add to the comments, “Prayers,” “Happy Birthday,” or worse, posts about you directly, or post a meme describing what you may be going through in life that later your other acquaintances may ask about.
I guess it took me a long time to decipher the difference. I get it now. I hope I saved these students of figuring this out on their own, however, I’m sure most of them will have to find out the hard way.
Later…
Retired Principal Tales 
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