I've posted before about my friend,her mental health problems and how she has behaved hurtfully towards me.Mostly I have been advised to stay away because this person is no good for me. I have another close friend .She too is ill,she has a condition for which there is no cure,she is progressively becoming more and more disabled and her life expectancy is much reduced.It is a truly terrible situation because there really is nothing you can say to her knowing that she has nothing to look forward to except gradually deteriorating. No-one could have more on their plate than she has.However ,she is the most loyal and genuine person I think I have ever met.Even though her own situation is so bad ,when we speak her first words are always "how are you,how is ... (members of my family,friends etc)".She will talk to me about anything I have on my mind and be genuinely interested.I have to press her for information about how she is etc! I know she's not like that just with me-others comment on what a lovely person she is.She has always been that way and despite all she has to contend with through her illness she has not changed.

Sometimes,I think how different she is to my other friend-she too is ill but is focussed entirely on herself ,...........I can't help but make a comparison. Maybe it is unfair of me to do that ,I just sometimes wonder whether it comes down to illness or the person inside.I think that,as you all know by now,I want to give the friend I have posted about previously the benefit of the doubt but that's hard.,I consider myself very lucky to have the friend I've told you about here for the first time.
Is the comparison unfair,the contrast is very striking at this time in my life?