I remember as a young man being told by my parents, that I should not just choose friends that are good to me, but rather friends that are good for me.
With that in mind, I would suggest that people that are quite different to you, will make the greatest of friends. They have dimensions and strengths, varying perspectives, and insights that will enlighten you, and even inspire changes in your own life.
Insecure people surround themselves just with those that are like themselves. Astute people will surround themselves with those that are quite different in outlook, personality and attitude.
An eclectic friend base is not only beneficial, but essential for character development, and true balance in all aspects of your life.
Too all my very different friends, you provide me with not only the varying views that I need to consider, but also a roadmap for re-defining normality. I see a broader picture of God in all of you, and my life is richer for having learnt that sameness is not oneness.
Perhaps this is the reason psychologist Carl Jung proposed the expression “Opposites Attract” and Rocky Balboa declared that “we all got gaps”.
© Rui Coelho
