It's Different When You Know Them

Think about your hero. Some person whom you respect and admire greatly for the things they've done. Now imagine getting to meet your hero in person. How excited are you? What would you say? Would you gush about how much you like them and how great they are? It's ok to say yes; it's probably the truth.

Now think about your closest friends. It's not that special to get to see them. You may talk with them about their endeavors, or you may talk about life or the weather. And if you think they're being stupid, you have no problems with calling them stupid.

What if your friends were super famous? What if they write a series of national best-selling books? You would certainly be happy for them. You may greatly respect their work and think it is of exceptional quality. You could be their biggest fan. But you will never be a fan in the general sense. You're their friend. You know them. And it's different when you know them. No matter how famous your friends get (assuming they don't become self-absorbed flakes), they are still your friends and you still treat them the way you always did.

I don't think there's really anything that needs to be done about this. It's just an observation. I suppose it's healthy to remember that everybody is a human being, and far more complex than the one thing they may be known for.