More friends, more sadness, more joy

Most people would like to have more friends. Or, at least more good friends. Can you have too many friends? Is there a downside?

I've always had a small circle of friends. A few people that I was close to, rather than a large group. Lately, my internet friends have played a bigger role in my life. I don't ever see them, just their posts and emails, but in some ways I'm closer to some of them than I am to the friends that I actually see. But, I have far more internet friends than I do "local" friends.

The more people you know, the more likely you are to run into bad news. People lose jobs, get sick, lose loved ones, etc. It can be depressing to think about. Sometimes there are a few stories of bad news a week.

I'm a believer in God, but haven't chosen a church. I pray. I've prayed for many friends over the years. I remember when my best friend's father died and I prayed for Gary and his family. Really, the first time I remember praying for someone specific. I really only prayed on big things, so my prayer sessions were few and far between.

Nowadays, I'm praying all the time! Not only for the well being of my children, but for my friends, my father, my family. Lately, the bad news seems more regular, so I pray even more. I realized how much, the other night, when I ran down a mental list of people to pray for, many of them with strange internet pseudonyms rather than their true names (If God can't cross-reference, we've got big problems!).

For only a moment, I was little depressed; so much sadness and so much to pray for. But then I realized that I wouldn't likely be praying for all the people if I didn't care about them. They're good friends and good people and they deserve to be happy and healthy.

I'm glad to know them, and while I'm often sad for them, I'm also happy to have them in my life to pray for.

I think it's corny to end up with the line you start with, but I'm feeling that way, today...

With more friends, comes more sadness, but also more joy.