Old friends

Have been thinking about it ever since I joked about a friend being old vs a friend I had a for a long time. What constitutes an old friend really? I.e. a friend you had for a long time. I have quite a lot of friends. Probably because I'm a tad older than 20 plus that I have been around the world, travelled, worked and in general been open to new contacts. However, there is a difference. Some people you have known for a long time, but you don't know them well. Other people you have picked up more recently, but have had a more intensive relationship with, and thus know better. I kinda think that when you start to know the relatives of the friend, and in general know more about their life, then they start to classify as old friends. Then of course there is everything in between, and it's nothing bad or good. And in my opinion you need all kinds of friends. Not necessarily quantity before quality, but since you tend to drift in and out of peoples lives, there is nothing bad with a back-up. Just some thoughts on a Saturday afternoon. Soon the party starts!