I have met many people over the span of my life. Most of these people I call friends. But there are different categories of friends. Allow me to break it down.
1. The Work Friend
This person probably knows the most about you. They are part of your day to day life. You spend more time with this person than you do your own family. They know everything about your spouse and kids. You can tell a work friend the things your other friends ask you to keep secret because your work friends don't know your real friends.
2. The Friend You Met in Kindergarten
This is no doubt one of your besties. For life. You two have been through everything together. Even though you don't see each other as often as you'd like, when you do get together it's as if no time has passed. You can pick right back up where you left off.
3. The High School Friend
The minute you two get together you turn back into the obnoxious person you were in high school. Not necessarily a good thing, but always a guaranteed good time.
4. The Long Distance Friend
This is the friend you hardly ever see or even talk to. But when you're driving down the street and receive a text that says, "I just heard a Violent Femmes song on the radio and thought of you", you are instantly transported back in time. You can't help but smile thinking of the the good times you have had with this friend. But it's probably better for everyone involved that you live ten states away from one another.
5. The Gay Friend
Everyone has one. If you're lucky, more than one. You knew this friend was gay before he did. You faked surprise when he "came out" to you. When this friend tells you your outfit is amazing, you know you look fab.
6. The Neighbor Friend
Neighbors by chance. Friends by choice. This is the person you call on for everything. As soon as you send that text explaining you got so drunk last night that you forgot to buy bread for lunches, she's got one of her kids running down the block with sandwiches so you can get your kids off to school. And you can sleep one off.
7. The Friend Through Marriage Friend
Your friend got married. Now you're friends with the spouse. There's no pressure with this friendship, because you're not really friends. You didn't choose this relationship. That's why you always have a blast when you're together. Until your friend gets divorced. Awkward.
8. The Sister-in-law Friend
This is a tricky one. Your brother marries a girl and you have to deal with her the rest of your life. Thankfully for me, that old saying about boys marrying someone just like their sister came true. I have great SILs. And I'm sure they'd say the same about me. Wink.
9. The Guy Friend
This is the friend you tell things to that you really don't want anyone knowing. That's why you tell a guy. They're not even listening. I forwarded an email sharing good news to my guy friend one day. Instantly, my phone rings. I assume it's my guy friend calling to offer his congratulations. It is not. It's my guy friend asking me what that long message says. It was too many words for him to read.
10. The Spouse Friend
There's no such thing. And to anyone who says their spouse is indeed their best friend, congrats on your upcoming first wedding anniversary.
Eileen O'Connor is a woman and mother living in Chicago. Check out her blog No Wire Hangers, Ever and her FACEBOOK page.