Ever wondered what the difference between family and friends is? I think it’s the fact that you get to choose your friends while the family is given to you since birth. It sounds very convenient but unfortunately, we still end up with such bad choices in friends that later we can’t even remember why we had been friends with a person in the first place! At the beginning of our school lives, we take our friendships rather too seriously and in the process, forget to respect ourselves and feel so bad about little things. There is nothing to be blamed for though because eventually, it’s the bad people that give you the best lessons of life! By the age of 25, I think everybody has cracked the code of the quantity of friend that one really needs in life. If you haven’t, then let me tell you that the code doesn’t exist. It's not about the number of friends that you need in life to feel good about it, it’s the quality of friends that matters! If there is a true friend in your life, then that single friend is enough to keep you going. It's not people with fewer friends who are lonely, it’s the people with bad friends who are lonely. The more you grow, the more you realize and respect the qualities of a friend and it’s because you start understanding the true meaning of friendship, you start losing the fake ones. So what really is the meaning of friendship? It may vary for Different people. However, we all have the same conclusion about friendships, it is the fuel to the ride of our lives. Without friends, life doesn’t seem worth living. For me, a true friend is the one who….
Listens to you out of concern, not curiosity
There are many people out there who would pretend to be your friend and show you care that doesn’t even feel like care. They will ask you about your stories as if they're worried about you, but the truth is that they are just curious to know your secrets. A true friend would genuinely be concerned about what you have been through and what you're thinking so that they can understand you better and help you get through tough times.
Respects your secrets and doesn’t make it a news
A lot of people get too excited upon finding out your secrets and gossiping about it with their friends. In fact, we are surrounded by such people in our personal as well as professional lives. A true friend won't dare let your secret out, whether they shared it with your or not. Even if you never shared it with them and they found out themselves, they’re not going to spread it anonymously. They’re going to respect the fact that you decided to keep the information private. They’re not going to take personal grudges for not sharing with them either.
Will never judge you!
True friends are the ones who know all your weaknesses and shortcomings but they would still not judge you. Instead, they will guide you by informing you that this is what you need to work on. They would want to make you a better person, instead of judging you for your habits. Likewise, they would expect you to guide them become a better person instead of keeping it inside and secretly judging them.
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Sticks by you during hard times
We all agree to this one and those who really have a true friend know what this means. During your hard times, your true friend will know what you need and give you exactly that. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your friend has to be with you physically. Moral support is just as important and whether they are with you physically at the moment or not, they would make their presence felt. If you know that one person who you know would be there for you during your hard times then know that he or she is a keeper.
Doesn’t let distance come between you two
Of course, distance is a big factor that puts an end to a lot of relationships. The identity of a true friend is that no matter how far you are and no matter how much time it has been since you talked last time, you know that whenever you meet or talk, you would start right from where you left off! It’s really amazing how you can connect to a person at such a level. Those of you who already have that sort of connection with one of your friend must know what I'm talking about!
Stays loyal to you forever
There are fights and there are arguments between friends. Sometimes the argument may prolong and you might end up at a point where you are not even talking with each other! True friends would make efforts not to lose you and find ways to reconnect with you. If they do, respect their gestures and thank god for having such friends!
You would trust no matter what
Even when you are in a fight with them, you would know that they are not going to spill your secrets. Whatever wrong you do with them is only going to make them disappointed but the truth is that they would still respect your secrets and never let them out. For them, your value would remain the same despite the ups and downs of your lives.
You give you positive vibes
Really. Nobody can define your friend for you. Sometimes, whether you friend has gotten a chance to prove their friendship or not, you just get the gut feeling that they are and then you don’t even need any proof. They send out positive vibes to you and you feel good, confident, motivated and energetic around them. These are the people who you don’t necessarily have to hang out with on a daily basis. But whenever you do, you would be back home with positive vibes!
