One thing about friendships in the city? They’re not always what they seem. Just when I think I’ve found someone genuine, reality taps me on the shoulder with a little wake-up call.
I’m a spontaneous traveler—one of those people who can decide on an intercity trip at the last minute and think, Oh, this friend might need this trip too! I pop up, no agenda, no expectations—just making the most of my time. But then, sometimes, there’s an AHA moment that changes everything.
Recently, I had one of those moments. A casual catch-up turned into a business pitch when a friend (or so I thought) casually dropped:
“Anne, you’ve been on my list of people I wanted to reach out to for the XXX project.”
My heart blinked. Wait… what?
Do people really make friendships strategically? Are connections just another box to check off on a networking list? Or am I just too naive for letting the door wide open without a filter?
The Reality of City Friendships
To be fair, we’re all connected for a reason—whether by choice or by circumstance. There’s nothing inherently wrong with building relationships based on mutual needs. But here’s what I’ve realized: I get to decide how much of that energy I let into my space. I have full control over what context I allow these connections to take shape in—whether as genuine friendships or as transactional acquaintances.
And honestly? I’m grateful for the lesson. Because when people show you who they are, it’s a privilege to see them clearly.
The Beauty of Social Connections
At the end of the day, being a social human being means collecting interesting perspectives, unexpected realizations, and different AHA moments at every turn. Every connection—whether pure, strategic, or somewhere in between—offers a new way to see the world. And maybe, just maybe, that’s the beauty of it all.
