Friendship...

Hi, dear Family,
Today I would like to talk about Friendship, and love for one's 'Family'; two things which more and more people seem to take for granted.
In recent years I have had so many people, who were supposed to be friends, who betrayed my trust in them. These people didn't seem to understand that friendships, like any other relationships in life, are partnerships. This means that, in order to maintain the relationship, each person involved needs to contribute 50% of the effort involved. Unfortunately, a lot of people are unwilling to do this. They seem to believe they can take and take from the friendship and never give anything in return. They have a kind of "You should be there for me, but I don't want to be there for you" mentality. This will not work, no matter the type of relationship to which it is applied; romance, marriage, family, or even co-workers and bosses. If we don't make an effort to meet the other person half way, the relationship won't survive. This includes friendships, of course.
On the other hand, I also have long-time friends who tend to give 100% effort to maintaining our friendships; they give and give and expect very little in return. I believe this is known as 'going above and beyond the call of duty' as a friend. I have a good deal of respect and love for these friends, because they make me want to contribute as much as possible to our relationships, making them become fifty/fifty in nature. They are people I will always love, and help in any way I can.  They are more like family than friends.
This brings me around to our BaeFamily. In the short, few months that I have been a Bae Yong Joon Family member, I have found a lot of love, and I have learned so much from our Charming Prince and his philosophy of "Humane Living". It has helped me to see not only the kind of person I was, but the kind of person I want to, and am trying to be. It's interesting how one person can have such a positive effect on the lives of so many other people. We Baesisters have come to a place, through the internet, where we have grown together as a family, and are strengthening the bonds we have made, through continuous contact by messages, photos, and videos which we share with all of the other Family. And we also welcome new family as they join us here on our blogsites. And, even though a great number of us have never met, and may never meet, we still share the same kinds of ideals that Bae Yong Joon had when he started this international Family of ours. I, for one, could not do less than share my love for our family and for BYJ with as many people as I can. I tell everyone who will listen about Yong joon ssi and our Family as often as I get the chance, which is pretty often, since I love to talk to people.
All of  this has only become possible through the efforts of one man, and his undying faith in the inherent goodness, kindness, and love of all mankind. Without his influence, I can honestly say I would not be writing this for all of our family, today. Kamsahamnida, Yong Joon ssi, just for being the wonderful kind of person you are! Love to all Family. Anna