Blog 64 - Friendship, Expectations, and the Ironies of Life I have come to realize that life is full of ironies. Sometimes, those ironies lead us down paths we never expected to take, bringing us face-to-face with truths about ourselves and the people we care about. I spent several days reflecting on why certain things happened and why some experiences affected me so deeply. Some people may not understand why I was so profoundly affected by what happened, but perhaps they simply cannot see the story from where I stand. Allow me to begin my story. Friendship can mean different things to different people. To me, friendship is a give-and-take relationship—not necessarily because both people must give equally or always be on the same level, but because there should be a genuine sense of mutual care, understanding, and reciprocity. When I give a gift to a friend, for instance, I don't expect that person to return the favor by giving me something of equal...