How Do You Know When A Friend Is Really A Friend

I have a select amount of friends, and I guess I filter them so carefully that a few do not pass my "friends' test. Growing up taught me you cannot trust everyone. Someone who will gossip with you will also usually gossip about you. A friend will uphold you and be there when you need them, and I am hesitant to confide in just anyone. A friend is forgiving, and things do not get to a point where you shut them out. All of my children are forgiving, some more than others. My next to the oldest actually taught me to forive. She would come home from school all upset and get me in a tizzy and I would go to school to iron out the problem with fire in my eyes...only to see her arms tightly around her perpertrater, laughing and havin the best time. I felt foolish and then learned that forgiveness had been taught to me by my own child. She has many friends today and none of them ever get mad at her.I was one to get mad and pout and never ever wanted to speak to them again in a million years. My brother use to came hunt me after I got mad at the whole family at the dinner table. I would be hiding up high in our neighborhood beechnut tree. I was really wanting him to come hunt me but too stubborn to get down. Finally I would go home with him, only to find a very cold dinner. I guess it was because I was the youngest and was given attention. Through the years I selected my friends carefully, only allowing very few to come hame with me. One of my daughters has followed in my footsteps. She is quiet and loves to spend her time with her own family instead of so many friends. Another daughter can take them or leave them and my son likes friends until he finds they are not his type. He is a good boy. He ignores them and they go away. Girlfriends are like that too, no drinking, no doping and no wildcats please...good for him. I am born under "Scorpio" and this person will steer the ship and take you anywhere you wish to go, anfd if the ships happens to spring a leak, this person will go down with the ship.....But if you rub "Scorpio the wrong way or do them dirty they will scorn you and let you know you are not deservant of their friendship.....I try to do unto others as I would like them to do unto me, and I work on my anger until I have kept it at bay....I do forgive..I do not forget.....I would like the world to be perfect but it will never be so I cope with all kinds of people, some are not friends, some are not. I have neighbors whom I barely know their name, but I would be a friend in need...I would hope they would feel this way too. Once I had a neighbor whom would not let me out of my drive and if I got out before him, he would about run over me. Now that guy had a problem. But one of my neighbors was very helpful during an accident at our home.I have other neighbors whom are accross the street and I seen them everyday but don't know them.....If everyone would learn to 'live and let live' we would have a wonderful world. But back to the 'Friends" it is fine to have them as long as they respect you and do not rule you. Everyone needs his/her own space.My children and grandchildren are my best friends. My very best friend is Tommy, my husband. He will not put up with gossip and thinks a bunch of ladies yakking is a waste of their time..........so friends hope I haven't bored you...stay true to the ones you love and even with or without friends you are a great person and the Lord loves you.