True Friendships

You can tell a lot about a friendship by the way you feel when you leave their company.

Did you leave feeling fulfilled and heard and validated? Like nothing you said or did would ever be used against you? Where there was no pressure to perform or conform and you could truly be yourself?

Or did you leave feeling self-conscious and worried and like maybe they got the wrong impression of you? Or that you weren’t understood, or your words were misconstrued? Like you had to tiptoe around certain topics or justify everything you said?

I only want friendships where I can walk away and I know my reputation is safe with that person, even if I messed up or said the wrong thing.

I only want friendships where I won’t get in the car afterward and replay all the ways I was embarrassing or awkward—it won’t even cross my mind because I know that person gets me and loves me regardless of what I said, and knows what I meant.

I only want friendships where I leave feeling so much lighter than when I arrived.

Because a true, genuine, safe friendship should never weigh heavy on your heart.