Who Gives a .... Anyway

In my twenties I remember being at some family event, and I heard the words "family are always there, they are who you can rely on". I remember thinking to myself "only in desperation would I rely on my family". I had, and still have a small but tight friendship circle and if I ever need anything or wanted to spend time with somebody, or wanted to call someone in the middle of the night my mates were and still who I would call.   Today almost 20 odd years later I have been thinking about the importance of family again. Friends have no duty to you to hang around, when your paths cross and you get on, then you share some memorable moments with them, and sometimes they are in your life while you at the same work place, sports club, gym, block of flats etc, sometimes for longer. We spend probably more of our happiest moments with our friends, but who can say their mates that they wanted at the weeding or 21 st , or 30 th are still around. That said I am still more ...