3 Types of Friends

April 16th, 2024 (6 months ago) • 2 minutes

Friendship and relationship had always been on my mind lately. I guess it's a by product of me going to the states soon, after 23 years in Malaysia.

I've been thinking about the people I've met, the people I've lost, and the people I've yet to meet. And then I came across this framework by Tyler Perry.

There are three types of people in your life:

Leaves: These are the people that are only around from time to time when the weather is good. They blow around as the winds change. They provide shade during the summer, but as soon as winter comes, they fall off the tree and disappear.

Branches: These are the people who are more present and stable than the leaves, but they aren't permanent. They look strong, but if you try to stand on them or pull yourself up from them, they may break under your weight.

Roots: These are the people who are permanent. They are deep and wide. They are there in the summer and the winter, they are unperturbed by the changing seasons. The leaves and branches may come and go, but the roots are there forever.

It's a simply analogy but it resonated with me.

I am fortunate to have a strong group of friend who served as my backbone when things are tough. These people are people who I cherish, who I know will get out of the way to help me, and I will do the same for them.

Not to say branches and leaves are bad. They are inevitable. You met someone on Twitter, you had a great conversation, and then you never talk to them again. It's just how things are. But it's important to keep that relationship on a good note, because you never know when you need them.