Today's discussion seemed rather depressing to me. I have never wanted to look at groups of friends as having more or less valued members.

Why? Because it made me immediately think about my group of friends in this context, and the instant you start to consider which of those friends are considered more important than others, those friendships can suffer.

I will be the first to admit that I am pretty suggestible with my friends. If they wanted me to do something like play a game I didn't feel like playing or go to a movie when I felt like staying home, all they would have to do is say "Oh come on, Dave" and I'd go.

But, my suggestibility stops if and when a friend's request comes into conflict with my code of morals and values. If any of my friends came up to me and said "Have some of this pot" or "Come on, take this beer", I would tell them where they can shove it. I have yet to meet any of these "leaders" that could get me to go against my morals like that.

If there is a leader in my group of friends, it's never the same person all the time. Our focus as a group on any one person changes constantly, whether it's on who's currently feeling sad, or who just made a funny joke, or even who wrote a great blog entry.

Bottom line, my friends mean the world to me, and they deserve better than for me to look down on them or put them on too high a pedestal. They will always be my equals.