Sucking you dry

I've been processing some really bad situations that I have been in, in the past.  Today I got to thinking about what kind of people would be as mean and abusive as some people in my life have been.  And that is where this comes from.

There are some people in our lives that are meant to be there.  The ones that we love, and that love us.  The ones that we support and the ones that support us.  The ones that we are happy for and are happy for us.  People that are there, real friends.  Real caring.

Then there are the people that will suck you dry.  They will show up like a friend, for awhile anyhow.  But over time all they really want to your energy.  They take and take and take, and offer nothing back.  They will take every ounce of you.  In the end, at least in my experience, then they end up mad.  Because, eventually, they have all of you and yet they want more.  When they can't get more, they blame you.  They yell, berate, belittle, abuse...  Whatever their chosen method is.  If, like I was, you happen to be particularly vulnerable at the time, it makes it easy for them.

Someone I know said recently that when she evaluates a friend she asks herself if she is a better person because this person is in her life.  Are they bonding over something positive or negative?  Positive bonding is life giving, negative will destroy your soul eventually.  At least, it did for me.  Now, I am rebuilding it one step at a time.