My father taught me ....

When I was going through a terrible period in my life, feeling betrayed by the person who was supposed to love me more than any other, one of my dearest friends sent me a card with words of comfort and empathy. I cherish this card, not just for the love contained within, but for the quote on the front. It features a black and white thoughtful Al Pacino from "The Godfather", and the quote:

"My father taught me many things: keep your friends close but your enemies closer"

I find these words rushing into my head unbidden many times in the past few days. Maybe my thoughts at the rest of the time could be similarly paraphrased:

Keep your friends close, but your former friends closer.

It has become brutally apparent to me in the last few weeks that I've never been shit on as badly in my life by anyone, as I have been by my friends.