Wow! You are SO right when you speak of how difficult it is to turn someone away from being a friend. I struggle with this because I believe that we are all one, we are all connected and that we are supposed to love everyone because what we put out there comes back. Hmmm, but I also get that we can't be everyone's friend, especially if there's a negative vibe about them...we don't need that in our life. What a conundrum! I don't have a problem with people, whom I seem to have a connection with and would like to connect more often with, if they don't feel the same way in return. I understand that people have full lives (I do too), and, being an introvert, I tend to have a small close circle of friends/tribe. However, when the opposite is the case, when someone else seems to be wanting more friend time than I would like to give, maybe because I feel our personalities clash or there's a vibe I don't feel comfortable being around, I'm finding that if I'm not putting a false step forward and trying to be a friend just so I don't hurt their feelings, that they kind of back off and find friends elsewhere. It kind of goes back to one of your talks about being real and talking care of yourself first, so that you can be an asset to the world as opposed to trying to please everyone and losing yourself in the process. That's who I used to be and being an introvert, I had forgotten who I was. I've finally re-membered (I love that word) and now I'm just myself. I can be kind AND honest. I'm finding that I don't take peoples' words and actions personally anymore (for the most part...positive self-talk is important here). Because of this attitude, I'm finding that fewer people with negative vibes or vibes I don't want to have around me, just are not attracted to me. The positive, loving vibes I'm putting out there are drawing those vibes back to me, so I'm finding that I don't even have to find ways to lovingly put someone off, at least not very often. So, long story short (I know, too late for that now. LOL), just be real in a loving way, and those who are supposed to be drawn to you will be. I believe some people are meant to enter our lives, even if for a short while, maybe even just for an encounter, because we're supposed to learn something from them or we're supposed to teach them something or both. I believe we are meant to look for the lesson in everything we see/do/encounter...it's part of our journey to get back Home. So, for me, I'm just learning to be lovingly real, being myself, and enjoying the people who come and go in my life for why they are there, for however long they are there.