Friend types

Here on Clove Island we seek to be friendly and to make connections wherever we go. Sometimes you meet someone and immediately recognize a kindred spirit, one with whom we share that "invisible thread" of connection. But more often a potential friend turns into one of the following:

The phone caller-- They have your phone number and they use it. Every day. Multiple times a day. Whether or not they actually want to talk, they want to be sure that they're not forgotten. And forgotten they're not. When you see their name on the caller ID you sigh with remembrance.

The hanger outer-- They know where you live and have discovered that your house is a nice place to hang. So they come over to hang out. Not necessarily to even visit with you. This type of friend will often hang out in your living room, playing games on their phone, calling other people, or just kind of staring at you until you say something. Sometimes they want to chat, but almost always they show up too often or for too long, to the point that you sigh when they show up again.

The parader-- This one wants to be sure that they're known as your friend. So when you visit, or meet on the street, or they come to your house, they take you for a walk. First to one friend's house, then to a family member's, then to another family member's residence. They parade you around, introducing you to everyone. You might have originally wanted to just visit them, but now you sigh when they say "let's just stop at ----'s house on our way!"

The setter upper-- They may not be interested in marrying you for one reason or another, but they're willing, nay, eager to set you up with their brother/cousin/uncle/son/etc. Why does this lady love me so much and shower me with gifts regularly? you ask yourself. Then you sigh when you realize her true motive.

Of course there are variations on these friend types. And sometimes one of these friends turns into a real friend. But when I hear myself sigh about one of these people, I've been trying to pause and ask myself, what's the opportunity I have with this one? Because whether they are looking for relationship with me, or have something else on their mind, they're spending time with me and I have the opportunity to be salt and light in their life.

Do you have people that you sigh about? What's your opportunity with them?