The people who come and go through our days and lives have the capacity of draining our wells, leaving them pretty much neutral or filling our wells. As you well know, sometimes it's one-way traffic, from you to them with nothing flowing back.

This is such an accurate depiction and analogy, and yes - the one I am definitely most familiar with is the "give give give" scenario.

if all people are looking to do is take from the well then we live in an incredibly selfish and self-involved world.

Not to sound like a negative nancy here... but I would say that the ratio definitely sways in this favour. Sad as it is to say that.

pushing the "common interests" further towards the back while bringing "common energies" closer to the front.

Interesting. Spot on I would say - whether this happens intentionally, consciously or not - I would definitely agree that it is a reality I share with you. It would certainly explain the shift in what is agreeable and what isn't any longer - when nothing much surface level has actually changed at all.

but it is little more than a myth with little function.

Seems to have more dysfunction than anything else, lol. :D

Which could mean that I am either mentally ill, or I see things most people miss.

I would definitely go with the latter.

I prefer my chosen family members...

Indeed and agreed.