5. I don’t take much for granted, especially when it comes to friendship.

Everyone is at least a little selfish. Everyone wants at least some people to think the best of them. These two truths get people into trouble.

I was supposed to have lunch with one of my dearest friends after the holidays to catch up and talk about life, spew the stories of the previous month, and generally get some face time. I got stuck in a meeting and asked to reschedule with her. Her reply (paraphrased): “I am away for the next two weeks, but as soon as I am back, we will get something on the calendar.”

That was on a Friday.

The next Friday (one week later), I had dinner with a mutual friend who had been with her earlier that day and was told that she would be at a party four blocks away that evening. I went to the party. I was seething with indignation. I was just so mad that she had lied to me and that I was low enough on her social totem pole not to merit a re-schedule within two weeks. I saw her from across the room but just could not go over to say hello. I was so angry.

She looked up from the table and saw me. She came over and cooed something about what a pleasant surprise it was to see me and S there.

I clinched my teeth and told her how happy I was to see her. And I was genuinely happy to see her, just so upset that she had lied to me and didn’t seem to remember it. I was so offended.

Then she looked at me and said, “I have something for you, but when I texted you for your address, you never wrote back.”

Excuse ME?? I thought. I never wrote back?? You LIED to me so that you wouldn’t have to talk to me or see me for two weeks!! How DARE you??

And she pulled out of her purse a postcard from a restaurant where she and I had gone every week when we first moved to New York five years ago. On the back was the cutest note about her meal and the memories, written in a lazy scrawl.

And I was touched. Not only had she thought of me, but she had kept this beat-up postcard in her purse, awaiting a text response or a chance encounter.

Most of my angst over the whole situation was really that I have felt neglected by her, and I can’t say that I have given our relationship enough of the attention that it deserves, either.

And the truth is that I do not take her for granted at all. She is luminous and special, and I really need to try to bring her back into the fold more so that there isn’t another sequel to Much Ado About Nothing.