How many people reading, know what true friendship is? Once in a lifetime you find a friend who touches not only your heart, but also your soul. There is nothing on this Earth more prized than “true” friendship. Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer. True Friendship is like a pretty flower, worn close to the heart… Never gets withered by age but gets more beautiful with time… True friends are very difficult to find, hard to leave, and impossible to forget. I dont use to term friend very lightly and Im not the kind to boast of many friends. Id rather have few friends whom I love and trust dearly than a battalion whom Im not sure of. You must put out what you want to receive in return, but don’t force yourself on people-some of us don’t like it. The freedom to choose is important. Give it room, set it free, and IT will willingly confide in you voluntarily and for free. As we grow, we realize it becomes less important to have more friends and more important to have real “true” ones. No matter what...True friends are always together in spirit. I don’t know all of you, but I have gotten to know quite a few. Some...I don’t want to know due to unequal pressures, expectations, demands, etc. To all the beautiful, inspiring people who come here and share pieces of themselves, thank you for being you and for taking me, just as I am. A true friend is fun, unique and interesting. A true friend, then she should take the time to listen to what you have to say. In a true friendship, both people should be sharing their thoughts and getting feedback. A true friend may not share every detail of every second of their life, but they do try to be clear about their intentions. This means that they try to present an accurate picture of who they are and of different situations. When something doesnt seem right, they let you know. A true friend will hold your most inner secrets to their heart and never ever let those secrets out. A true friend will also not dig those secrets out of you. A true friend Never takes you for granted. A true friend wont try to steal your girlfriend or boyfriend, your job or your personality. They wont gossip about you constantly or try to damage your reputation. They will let you know when theyre concerned and do their best to stick up for you when youre in trouble. True friends understand, protect, nurture, develop and appreciate the friendship. A true friend accepts each other “as is” – Trying to change a person never works. People know when they are not accepted in their entirety, and it hurts. A real friend is someone who truly knows you, and loves you just the same. Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you. If you feel like changing something about your friend, ask yourself what change you can make in yourself instead. A true friend accepts you for who you are, even when youre being a buthead. In friendship, being accepting goes hand in hand with being loyal. A true friend rolls with the punches as you grow and change and know how to deal with your quirks and faults. They are also patient with you when you make mistakes -- even big ones -- and learn how to forgive you when you hurt them. In other words, they treat you as youd like to be treated, even when you arent at your best. Stop playing games. A growing relationship can only be nurtured by genuineness.” Don’t play games with people’s heads and hearts. Remember, love and friendship don’t hurt. Lying, cheating and screwing with people’s feelings and emotions hurts. Always be open, honest, and genuine. A true friend would never use you. A true friend supports each other’s growth changes. – Our needs change with time. When someone says, “You’ve changed,” it’s not always a bad thing; sometimes it just means you’ve grown. Don’t apologize for it. Instead, be open and sincere, explain how you feel, and keep doing what you know in your heart is right. A true friend compromises – Real friends meet in the middle. When there’s a disagreement, they work out a solution that works for both parties – a compromise, rather than a need for the other person to change or completely give in. True friends will seek to understand your differences (or at least accept without judgment - not ‘tolerate’ - their existence) and compromise so you can give each other what you have to offer, rather than judge those differences against their own ideas and declare them wrong. A true friend accepts who you are, points out your flaws as a sign of love, but accepts you with the flaws unchanged. True friends will always push you towards the great possibilities of your future, false friends will always chain you to the mistakes in your past. A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. You deserve to be with friends who make you smile – friends who don’t take you for granted – friends who won’t leave you hanging. When you notice that a friend is always taking from you without giving back, you might need to distance yourself from them for a while. If they care, they’ll notice. If they don’t, you know where you stand. You should want to give, but you shouldn’t be forced to always give more than you get. If you feel like you are being taken advantage of, respect yourself enough to confront the situation. This doesn’t mean you have to stop being friends with those who you feel are at fault, but you need to evaluate your friendships and realize where to draw the line when you give yourself to certain people. A true friend communicates effectively – It’s been said many times before, but it’s true: great communication is the cornerstone of a great relationship. If you have resentment, you must talk it out rather than let the resentment grow. If you are jealous, you must communicate in an open and honest manner to address your insecurities. If you have expectations of your partner, you must communicate them. If there are any problems whatsoever, you must communicate them and work them out. And communicate more than just problems – communicate the good things too. A true friend keep their promises. – Your word means everything. If you say you’re going to do something, DO IT! If you say you’re going to be somewhere, BE THERE! If you say you feel something, MEAN IT! If you can’t, won’t, and don’t, then DON’T LIE. Real friends keep promises and tell the truth upfront. If someone truly loves, truly values you, they should stick by your side no matter what and never abandon you. Regardless of how difficult a situation may appear, the truth is, things always get better in time. Once you weather the storm together, brighter days are sure to follow. They always do. It’s a hard fact to swallow believing someone loved you when their actions suggest they probably never really loved you at all. If your friend talks about someone as soon as that person turns around, then the friend is probably not a good friend. If your friend routinely talks about people he claims are his closest friends, then he must be doing it about you. If your friend is always saying negative things about everyone who isnt around, then this is a bad sign. If you know that your friend has gossiped or trash talked about you, especially on multiple occasions, then your friend is not a true friend. As we recognize what we don’t want in a true friend, it’s absolutely vital that we reflect on these qualities within ourselves. Not all friendships will look exactly the same, but they will have one quality in common: Friendships should energize more than debilitate you over the long-term. A true friend can be great friends to each other, despite the distance, if we choose to make the effort. If we remember to make the time, we can have those types of meaningful, fulfilling conversations that make us feel seen, understood, appreciated, and supported. A true friend is someone you feel as comfortable with as you do when you are by yourself. Be there for the other person in the same way you would be there for yourself. A true friend would notice when your sad and do everything in their power to cheer you up. We need meaningful connections with other people. Not everyone has to be a close friend, but it’s integral to our happiness that we show people who we truly are, allow ourselves to know them in return, and then remind each other through actions—small or large—that we care. We never need to be or feel alone in this world, but it’s up to us to create and allow opportunities to be together, enjoy each other, and be there for each other. It’s up to us to make our relationships priorities. A friend gives you the precious gift of time to talk about new ideas and desires. A friend loves you for who you are not what you do. Feeling so accepted makes you want to try harder and set higher goals and accomplish more. A true friend doesn’t hold grudges over petty disagreements. Life’s too short to be hanging around people who try to control and manipulate you. Anyone who does so is not a true friend. Gain your independence by taking off the shackles and freeing yourself from these bullies. One of my favorite quotations comes from Gandhi: Be the change you wish to see in the world. Be the friend you want to have. We all tend to attract people into our lives whose character mirrors our own. You dont have to make yourself into what you think others would find attractive. A true friend offer each other freedom – A healthy relationship keeps the doors and windows wide open. Plenty of air is circulating and no one feels trapped. Relationships thrive in this environment. Keep your doors and windows open. If this person is meant to be in your life, all the open doors and windows in the world won’t make them leave. Fight for what you want, but if you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, its yours forever. If it doesnt then it was never meant to be. Cherish the friend who tells you a harsh truth, wanting ten times more to tell you a loving lie. A true friend reaches for your hand and touches your heart. ~~True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity, before it is entitled to the appellation. ~~ George Washington~~ Your turn… What would you add to the list? What’s one thing a true friend would never do? Leave a comment below.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 00:07:33 +0000