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People in our life are commonly categorically separated into the following: family [sometimes referred to as loved ones], friends, colleagues, acquaintances, strangers, and enemies [or foes].

In my humble few years on this beautiful planet, I have developed my own system and maybe you would want to consider it.

Unconditional Supporters

These are the ones who believe in you, who would literally support you no matter what. These are the ones that always speak highly of you, always got your back, ones that will always put in a good word for you. Not to be mistaken by “Yes Friends”, these are ones that will alert you when you are wrong, compliment you when you are right, but also always advise you well for the best of their knowledge, for the best of your interest, and always for nothing in return. These people truly love you, ones that might even give you a kidney. Starting off with the obvious, and conservatively, these are often parents, siblings, children, lovers and spouses. Sometimes, for the lucky few of us, this category might include childhood friends, or long-term friends [friends awarded this status for a few years but not since childhood].

Non-Doners

Unlike the above category, humans in our life in this category would never donate us a kidney, yet we see them, speak to them, and interact with them several times a month or several times a week. In the common categories, these are often referred to as friends. We hang out with them, have fun with them, have a great time with them, laugh, sing, dance, have dinners, parties, they even might throw wedding and baby showers for you. These might be “best men”, “maids of honor”, but not necessarily be there for us unconditionally. For a long period of time [and by long think decades], these people might always be on our speed dial. Siri, Alexa, Google, and Bixby have their numbers, birthdays and facial recognitions known by heart, but they would still not donate a kidney. These people have our secrets, know our vices and virtues, know how to calm us down, lift us up, but will always be a non-doner.

Who are these people? Well, in the common category of titles, these are members of the commonly used groups mentioned as well in Unconditional Supporters i.e., immediate family, cousins, uncles and aunts, long-term friends, even childhood friends, or colleagues.

Temporary Smilies

This category could have been called Yes Friends or if you’re feeling edgy, you might refer to them as Fake Friends. These people smile at your face now, but they would definitely not care if you are no longer in their lives later. These people are usually colleagues or distant family members. Those whom you would exchange smiles with each morning around the coffee machine, have small talk, maybe even share a few stories, laughs, share advice and exchange weekend plans; but these humans are definitely temporary and recyclable. Think of them as vapid friends: momentary, flavorless, meaningless friendships. Sometimes people refer to the members of this group as frenemies. You should always be cautious of these people. They are smiling today, but they might easily turn against you or even harm you later. I said might. So who are these people that may exit -your life- at anytime? Think colleagues at work, not all -but almost all, friends of friends, friends’ relatives, cousins [first, second, or third, any degree really], in-laws; not necessarily your direct in-laws, but your brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, the morning barista, your favorite waiter at your favorite restaurant, uncles and aunts, neighbors, step parents. I have a rule for this category: anyone whom you haven’t seen, spoken to and chatted with for two consecutive weeks and yet haven’t crossed your mind at all, deserve a spot in this category.

The Troubled

I call these The Troubled because I am being presumptive that you are not -troubled. These humans are out there to get you, they always mean you harm even when you have not ever given them a reason to. They want to see you hurt though you haven’t ever hurt them. They want to see you down, fall, fail. They are jealous, envious, resentful, invidious, they are troubled. You might refer to them as enemies, but are they always just enemies? Not friends and relatives or even loved ones? Let that linger a bit. But always remember, they are referred to as troubled, only because you are not, if you have ever hurt them or meant them harm, then, well, you will never earn a seat among my Unconditional Supporters or Non-Doners.

Everyone Else

This is not only the biggest category because it includes roughly 8 billion people, but for me, the most important one, I will explain. Members of this category are literally anyone and everyone else. But there is a catch. You should always be nice to these people, treat them with respect, smile even if not smiled at first, say hello and thank you, hold the elevator door for them when you see them coming, be mindful of them and your surroundings but never presume them as dangerous, and always keep an open eye and mind, why? Because of the “catch”. You never know in what category they might end up in the future!

Let that sink in as well.