The Friday Five on a Saturday

1. If you could change one life-changing event in the life of someone important to you, would you?
   
   I know there's a philosophy that experiences make you who you are and you shouldn't wish them away, but I have a few friends who have been through what I feel is a disproportionate and unfair amount of tragedy in their lives. Partner suicide, early death of parents, sudden loss of physical health, financial hardship, homelessness. I don't think any one person should have to go through all of those before the age of thirty. And yet. Here we are. So yes, I absolutely would change that for certain people if I could.
   
   
2. Which do you think is easier to do, being friends for many years, or being life partners for many years?
   
   Uh, neither? Both take work! You have to listen and try to empathise and forgive and communicate. All relationships require effort, and if they don't, someone is being used.
   
   
3. Have you ever walked away from someone you considered a friend?
   
   Yes. It's not very pleasant. But occasionally necessary for the sake of self-preservation.
   
   
4. If you had to choose between telling the truth and hurting a friend or lying and making them happy, which would you choose?
   
   Barring a handful of exceptional circumstances, most of which involve an immediate threat to life, lying and making them happy. Life is difficult enough without intentionally causing pain.
   
   
5. Which would you rather hear--the truth which will hurt, or the comforting lie?
   
   The comforting lie, if it comes to that. I'd hope it wouldn't, most of the time. I'd like to believe that truths can be delivered kindly, most of the time.