Friends are pretty important in the grand scheme of things. Good friends help prop us up, and they push us towards what we need to achieve. They become the family that we have when our actual family is too far away to help us. And if done right, friendships can be the start of beautiful bonds that will stand the test of time. Even generational!
They guide us and help put us on the right path. Many times, the things that we won’t tell family members, we tell our friends. And many times, when we won’t listen to family members, we listen to friends who tell us the same thing. This is to show just how important a friend can be in the life of an individual.
So now, can we do without friends? Is a life without friends really possible? Honestly, I don’t think it can be, and even if it is, I can assure you that it will make for a very quiet and boring life. And note that I’m not saying that we should be wrapped around our friends, that’s just crazy. I can’t tell you just how awesome it is to have a life and identity outside of your friends. You want to be known simply as who you are, not this man’s friend or this woman’s friend.
But still, we need friends. This is not just for the jokes and fun stuff. Having friends will definitely give you more to look forward to. Many times, back in secondary school, I got so tired of school. There were days I didn’t want to go to school, and I dreaded them. But what got me through it were my friends. And then, besides all that, friends help advise and guide you. They know you most intimately and thus know how best to advise you on what to do.
Friends come through for you, and most of the time, your choice of friends could very well be the difference between being mentally healthy or not. Just knowing that you have a soft cushion to fall back on, regardless of what happens to you, knowing that you have a small dedicated group of people who genuinely care about you, will always make you feel safe. And that is something that can never be replaced.
That’s why when people talk about how they don’t need friends, I always shake my head. It’s sad because they just don’t know what they’re missing out on. I’m sure that they have people who see them as friends, but that feeling is not reciprocated. Just being on your own, without friends to reach out to, is not just boring, it’s dangerous. Because there could be a time when all you need is just a listening ear to help clear your mind. Other times, you need another voice to remind you that you’re not alone.
The thing is, to get to that point, you need to cultivate the relationship first, and many times, people don’t take that as seriously as they should. Even I, as an introvert, could be on my own for days at a time. But then, it will always get to a point where I will get tired of my own company. Then, I’d either go chill with a friend for a few hours, or if I’m not in the mood for that, I could go to a hotspot where strangers are and just socialize for an hour or so. I had to learn this particular thing when I found myself staying indoors for so long that people thought I traveled. It was dangerous because if my neighbors believed I traveled, if an emergency occurred, they wouldn’t see the need to come for me. So, every once in a while, I let people see me around, let them know that the boy is active.
I commend people who believe that they can live without friends. But I’ve had good friends in my life, and I don’t think I’d be willing to let all that go. Life without friends will definitely be one of the worst things to happen to anyone.
