How do We Choose our Friends?

I've observed something extraordinary with toddlers. I love how my 2 year old can walk into a room and automatically see people, anybody, and yell out with excitement, "My friends!" I love when toddlers see eachother from a distance without even knowing eachother and run up to one another with a yearning to play and be friendly. A genuine...I have no boundaries approach for just liking the heck out of you! Love it!
I've never been the one that had a lot of friends that were other than surface friendships. I was usually the last one to be picked for the teams and let's not even go through the whole very awkward middle school years. Let's just say, kids can be very mean, as if I'm saying anything new. I remember making a friend, a genuine friend, so I thought. Problem was, she sat at the popular table and I was not one of those popular girls. I remember seeing my friend from across the cafeteria and wanting to go sit with her. She motioned me over and reluctantly I went because I was not welcome in that click. What happened next I will never forget. Two of the head "popular girls" saw that I was sitting at the end of the table visiting with my "friend." They looked at eachother and their other friends and next thing ya know they all got up and moved from the table to another one because I was there. Sad part was, my "friend" went with them. I was crushed. Whatever the reason, my parents didn't make as much money as theirs, I wasn't as cute in big hairbows as they were, I was too shy, conservative, wore non-brand clothes...whatever it was...I think, how sad that's what mattered to them. I picked myself up like I had many times before and moved on but, I made a decision that day. I placed on my heart that I would never be that person that set those kind of boundaries when it came to making friends. What's the saying, "Although, you walk with kings, never lose the common touch." I have friends in high and low places I'm proud to say! If I have a combination of ex-cons and prominent professionals at my funeral...then all I can say is...that's what Jesus would do ;) I have been blessed with some genuine quality friends in my life. For instance, the kind that out of the blue sends me a package in the mail with a plaque in honor of my dad's memory on his birthday that read, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of sound mind." II Timothy 1:7 Wouldn't you know it was one of my dad's favorite bible scriptures. I thank God for friends that see me, my quirks, my faults, my success, and failures. They see the whole package and love me for me. You know who you are friends. My list may be short, but my heart for all of you is infinity! I also feel that I really haven't had to go out of my way to make good friends. I've been lucky...somehow I feel as though they've been chosen for me :)