You've Got a Friend in Me

Posted on August 22, 2016

What is a friend? The general consensus is a person that you enjoy spending time with and sharing experiences. But to Aspergers individuals the people we call friends can vary widely.

I’ve only had a handful of friends outside of my family. One good friend from first grade, three friends from high school, my girlfriend, one friend at work, and several more people from various places that I would call more associates than friends. I use the term ‘associate’ because I feel that I don’t know the people well enough to call them friends but that does not mean that I don’t appreciate the connection that I share with them.

While my pool of friends is small, it is select. The people that I chose to call my friends all understand that I am different from most other people. My friends are able to understand and accept my various habits or quirks and my dry or sometimes strange sense of humor. They’re also people that I know won’t abandon me or each other because of anything one of us does.

A group of friends that most people seem to overlook is pets. I love my two dogs and cat like family. To me my pets are as important as my family. My pets love me almost unconditionally, only requiring me to feed and love them. The best thing about my dogs is that they don’t demand that I do my chores, aside from feeding them, and don’t get frustrated with me. The best thing about my cat is that he likes to spend the night with me, occasionally trying to strangle me in my sleep by lying just under my chin. He’s also fairly agreeable when in the mood.

Throughout my life my friends have helped mold me into the person that I am today just as much as my parents. For whoever is reading this my advice is to make friends, but to be selective about who. Choose people who value you for who you are. If you have pets value them just as much as your family. Caring for your pets can be just as rewarding as having a good friend.