Friendship?

What does the word mean? To me it has two meanings; that which I would give and that which has been given to me. To my great Sadness they are two very different things.

To me, friendship means trust and honour; I would stand with my friend through it all; I would stand with him or her no matter she be right or wrong. I would give my friend my last coin, my last breath. I would always be there for them; I would never judge them and I would never turn away from them. This is my code; this is honour and trust; this is friendship; the greatest gift to give and to be given.

To me friendship is treachery. Friendship is someone who hides behind you with a knife in their hand waiting for the most opportune moment. Friendship is whispered words of cunning and guile; empty words and emptier promises. Friendship is the hand proffered and snatched away. Friendship is laughing faces and pointing fingers and the hollow emptiness of betrayal. Friendship is the question ‘Why? What ill I have I done you to deserve this act? Friendship is the greatest curse to be laid upon me.

Such is the dichotomy of friendship to me; one is given the other received. I leave it to you decide which is which; I leave it to you to look to your conscience and say which is friendship.
It takes a truly special person with a special hatred to pretend friendship only to inflict pain; I pray you never meet them.