Are You My Friend?

I rarely get onto my Myspace (compared with how often I check Facebook) but I do know how many friends I have, last I checked I had 51, I checked today and I have 50. So I scrolled through the people who are on there to try and figure out who dropped me, but couldn't. Currently I have 696 friends on Facebook, but there are a few I have never met, some I have met only once or twice, several I knew pretty well at some point because we worked for the same company or went to school together (most college, some high school, and even fewer, jr high). However, out of all these "friends" very few are actually what I would consider true friends.

What is a friend?

Is a friend someone you can call up and chat with?
Help you out with whatever? Whenever?
Someone who goes out of their way to do you a favor?
Someone who recognises when it's your special day (and not just a Facebook message because they just so happened to notice in the little box on the lower right hand corner of their homepage that it was your birthday) but rather, someone who goes out of their way to make it your special day regardless of what you may or may not have done for them for theirs?
Comes over in a heartbeat with a box of tissues, a chick-flick, red vines, and a warmly scented candle after your heart was just broken?
Knows most all your secrets and keeps them secret?
Will listen to all your problems without rolling their eyes?
Gets up at 1am in the morning (no questions asked) and drives half-way to phoenix from Tucson(even though they have work at 4am) for much needed comfort for running your car off the road into a guardrail?
Sends you random cards/letters/post cards/gifts?
Calls you just to say hi?
Uses you when it's convenient?
Lets you crash on their couch/floor/or whatever space you have available because they'd rather stay with a friend than in some over priced, lonely motel room?
Spends time with you just because they enjoy you?
And how often should these thing be done? Once? twice? Continuously?

Under these conditions, I would say I MIGHT have 5 friends, maybe less. OR are these the only conditions we consider a "best friend"?

What is Facebook or Myspace really for then? To check up on people, stalk them a little so maybe you don't really have to call them and "waist time" talking when you can figure out what's going on in a few clicks on pics and and once over their "wall" and "about me" profile?
Do we use it to compare one another? To see who's better off/doing well? Jealous? Or, to just stay in the loop? Who's with who? Who's still available? Did you see the latest....?? Gossip gossip gossip. MORE GOSSIP.
To stay in contact?
BUT for what reason??

Do we really need all these friends we claim to have? How many of them are really there for the enhancement of our own lives? Or do we remain friends with them because we think we are enhancing their lives? OR do we remain friends because "we might need them someday"? But what if that "someday" comes and they can't be counted on?

In short, I'm sure my life would go on and be just fine without half the "friends" I have in it. In fact, I'm tempted to do what so many already have and "lose" all my numbers. AND THEN if someone calls me, contacts me because they want to talk to me for me, then maybe that person is my friend. hummmm.... but that would be giving up a sense of control.... but I'll save that topic for another blog.

OH! And feel free to comment. You don't have to publish your name or sign up for anything, but I would love to read some of your thoughts---if anyone reads this.