Utne Reader has some articles on friendship this month. They talk about how important it is to exert the effort needed to maintain friendships, and how there are many fringe benefits to doing so. It seems like common sense, on the surface, but I know how easy it is to let people slip out of your life. And I would agree that it is worth it. I've been working on that a lot lately. Sort of as a result of a mini-crisis, but more simply because it is the right thing to do. It's a good thing.