3/5/10: To the rescue

I would be there for close friends even if we hadn't been getting along depending on what we were arguing about or what nasty thing them or I had done in order to be in the fight to begin with.

If they were someone who wasn't a really close friend and someone who had done something awful that couldn't be healed properly I would think twice about helping them because in the past I have put up with crap and seen others who have put up with crap, and in the end it can turn out often that the person wasn't worth putting your neck out for, and they think they can just take advantage of every situation from then on and begin to use the people who care. You get to a point where you try to cut off from caring about those who need something emotionally or otherwise if you have too many experiences where people have behaved badly, it's sad that this has to happen, but you lose trust. Like with the street people who ask for money, there are so many con jobs trying to scavenge when they don't need it, people start to be suspicious and write them all off when there are those who really do need the money sitting there.

I guess in the 'rescue' part I haven't been involved in any dangerous situations with anyone where they were really physically in trouble or anything but emotionally if someone's needed a shoulder to lean on to vent their problems I've kind of given in and been there even if they'd been an ass before. I'm trying not to do this anymore unless they are genuinely a good person. Some things can slide with time, and how they're acting right now really makes a difference cause you're in the moment and they're being nice so you don't always think too much about the past cause it's so long ago and if they were in danger you'd help of course because they're a fellow human and no-one deserves to be in danger no matter what they've done. So sometimes you just do what you have to, or feel you should, then get on with life and try to forget about them, or form a good bond with them because of helping them. I'm reminded in this thread of an episode of the tv show 'Home And Away' where Irene had endured hell from her boyfriend's envious ex wife Donna, she eventually came back to Summer Bay in ruins, was depressed/screwed up and turned up on Irene's doorstep, Irene was wary at first but cause she couldn't bear to see a person like this and genuinely tried to believe Donna had changed, she allowed her to live with her at home. Wounds were healed, a new beginning started. So it can be a good thing, though that's just a tv show, haha
This type of situation is also shown in the 'Saw' movies where there is someone in a room with another person who has done terrible things to the ones they love and they have to choose whether to help them live or let them die when they're in the death traps.

In the end, if you can forgive someone and be there for them if they're truly remorseful for what happened or are an okay person really that's the best thing, but it's no good to be walked all over and be a doormat if not and you have to stand your ground.

Because of past bonds with a friend people are probably more likely to help out but I think even in very extreme circumstances like if most people saw their WORST ENEMY hanging by their fingers off the edge of a cliff screaming for help they'd rush and pull them up again, except perhaps those like Phil Collins who sings "If you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand..." hehe, and even he might change his mind when he's confronted with the situation! It's very easy to be stubborn and believe you won't do something until it's right there smacking you in the face