(cont'd)
Despite those feelings it has taken me years to slim-down my "friends" to just a few who are clear about the vagaries of the depressive state and who make allowances for 'not showing up' in mind or body for gatherings. These are the people (three, maybe four, maximum) who are aware, principled, listeners, sharers, balanced people, with whom I can laugh and joke and live and cry and educate myself and educate them without competitiveness, without misunderstandings, without fear of judgement....
That's enough - just a few friends
later