The 'friend' issue is really always fascinating to me. I think I have insight to share, but it's hard to explain.
So, we have really analytical brains and great information to share, but it is very tricky sharing it with other people in our relationships. This is where I need to do some more research, but, it seems to me that many people do not really want to hear a gifted person's 'version' of the truth. To others, it sounds too harsh, even though, we are merely communicating.
In a work situation, though, our insights are invaluable, so you will find gifted people doing very well in difficult jobs and feeling very useful, working either for themselves or others, depending on how you view work.
Don't get hung up on having friends the way that other people have friends; by definition, it probably can't be the same. We are hyper-sensitive, so we know all of the cracks in any relationship anyway, so, in effect, that works against us - much harder to be 'starry eyed' for example, in a adult romantic relationship unless everything really is going very well.
When we are being overly-critical, we might be able to see the limitations of other people to seem to be our friends. It sort of stinks when their instincts are bad, so their advice is never as good. It is kind of like being in class and never having anyone to confer with on the answer because the gifted student is the best student in the class.
Very few people could probably stand our intensity level, so that is a huge limitation on the ordinary friendship.
Once you stop pining for friendships the way other people have them, you can focus on friendships that you can have the way gifted people have them. So, it is less about cliques and following the group and more about respect and trust and truly having something in common.
If you live in a crowded community, notice how neighbors swear their child found their very best friend close by in the neighborhood. Really what they do is restrict the child to finding who is close by because it is so easy for the parents.
For a gifted person in reality, we find our very best friends later in life as we go out and pursue our passions and find the other gifted people pursuing their passions. Turns out the best friend was not around the corner but in the world where we went to while pursuing our life. So, we have to wait to find our best friends.
