Some Relationships Are Worth Fighting For

I have learned through the years that many people pass through your life for only a brief time and you are affected by every person that you bring into your life, no matter the time frame. Knowing this, I try to only bring positive people into my life because I take relationships very seriously. Once you are in my life, I will give you the shirt off my back if you need it. However, I have learned the hard way that is not how all people view friendships. Some people take things lightly - enjoy meeting for a dinner or drinks, but if it gets down to actually being there for one another they are in the wind. I have had to learn what relationships are worth fighting for and what aren't. I am a giver, I can't help it, it is just a part of me. However, it is the part of me that gets my heart broken most often in relationships because the only relationships that are healthy for a giver are ones with another giver. I am also a nurturing person, hence my job, and a character flaw I have is that I tend to be attracted to takers because they need nurturing. It is those people that need you in their life to serve a purpose, not just to be a friend, but to keep them stable or provide financial support or emotional support or help them find their legs. I try as I might, but it seems that I have made the mistake over and over again investing in takers. I am trying to let those people go because I find that if I am giving and they are taking, I get sucked dry and I am not good to anyone. On the flip side I have learned to fight tooth and nail for the amazing friendships I have with other givers. We may be separated by distance and may be at different points in our lives, but these are the people that would be there at 3 am when you are stuck on the side of the road and need someone to pick you up. These people are amazing people and I am so lucky to have them in my life (and be surrounded by them at my job). Sometimes I still get it wrong and end up with a taker and when I walk away, they never fight for me. They don't even blink an eye and that hurts. After everything that I invested in our relationship and everything they took without giving anything in return, I would think that they would fight for the friendship or at least feel badly that they used me, but sadly this isn't the case. Just another lesson learned. The lesson to really hold onto is that I should continue to cherish my friendships with other givers and always fight for them if something was to try to come between us. True friendship is often tested when things get dicey and life isn't easy and I am so blessed to have such a good support system that spans the nation. To all of you, I love you and thank God every day for having you in my life.