Read on Twitter
Friendship is characterized by responsibility AND accountability. I hear the sentiment of: life gets tougher and more complicated. But when people add:"we have responsibilities!", it says to me that we think of friends as penpals, or breaktime playmates. Which...I shudder. https://twitter.com/philz_admz/status/1359547832609431553
And this narrative is especially disturbing to me because it perpetuates the conditioning that dismisses the importance of friendship as a relationship. So we give so little and still expect to still be accorded space in others' lives. Like it is an honorary title, "friend."
Which is funny because nobody every says that of this of romantic relationships because then all over sudden we understand that our partners must make an effort to do their part of showing up, being responsible and accountable to us no matter what. People break up over it too.
But you should be extended grace and kept in someone's life when you barely showing up (in both literal and metaphorical sense) because "we're busy?" Then don't have friends. Let the fathers of capitalism make time to listen to & hug you when the busy life is falling apart then.
Everybody is busy. People deal with a lot, yes. Illness, trauma, family responsibilities, depression and anxiety, work stress. Yet, how we all go through it and stay sane is that community (which includes friendships) that has our backs. That's important. That's a responsibility.
