Errgh.. You've hit on one of the hard ones. Being good to people does not necessarily mean spending your time and resources on that person. I work in a downtown area with lots of homeless around. Some are friendly, some are not. But you'll find yourself having to walk by them sometimes because if you stop and talk, you're going to be late back from break. So you have to just move on.
And another time, long ago, when I was still in college (the first go-round). There was this guy in one of my classes.. I'd seen him about campus for a while, and I could tell he was in sore shape, just like I was. And then one day he asked if I wanted to meet up and study with him... And I had to say no. I was so bombed out at the time that I couldn't take care of myself, much less somebody else. And that's what it would have turned into.. I had just gotten out of one co-dependent relationship, so I certainly couldn't go getting into another one...
So yes, be friendly.. be 'good' to people.. but have boundaries. You gotta keep those boundaries up, even if it feels like it might be 'mean'... if you don't, you're inviting worries.
