I've reached a more or less consistent level of contentment. I have engrossing and enjoyable hobbies, I'm doing well at work, with a hazy plan for my future career development, I have two wonderful kids, three crazy cats...but the close personal connections are harder. I have a large number of friendly acquaintances. My good friends and best friends of the past, well while we're all still friendly, we are all separated by distance. In the end, I basically have just myself to rely on. It is lucky that I enjoy my own company. lol
I had made a very close friend in nursing school, but events of this past year have made me realize that she's more interested in taking than giving. She has benefited from my generosity a lot over the past two years (she stayed with me when she had no place to live in the second half of nursing school), and has not really added anything in a meaningful way to our friendship. She's ready to come over and partake from my table and ask for my help, and is rarely able, no make that NEVER able to reciprocate or give back anything.
The last straw was when she showed up to my daughter's birthday party empty-handed, not even a card with a quick scribbled Happy Birthday. She did that with both of my kids this year actually. I guess in her mind, the rules of friendship and etiquette don't apply. The gift of her presence is present enough? It's not about greediness on my part either, I wouldn't expect anything expensive, but it was evident that the thought of giving the birthday girl a gift never entered her mind. Yet for her birthday, she speaks seriously of her Birthday Week, and expects recognition all week long.
So anyway, I'll be distancing myself from her and focusing my attentions elsewhere. /tangent
Am I as happy as I could be? No.
Is it far better than it has been in years past? Absolutely.