A true friend

I wrote this when I was 19 in college...but I think that the information still rings true. It applies to friends as well as your partner, spouse or loved ones.

A friend is something that everyone needs. A friend is someone that can be counted on when help is needed, or just someone to be by our side. A friend is someone who knows all about who you are as a person, and loves you for it. A friend knows all your deep, dark secrets, and will not tell them to a soul. A friend can come in handy when you are feeling down. There is a quote that I really like that I think describes how a friend should be by Albert Camus. It says, "Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and just be my friend." However, not everyone knows how to be a good friend. There is more to a friend than everyone thinks and I would like to tell you what I have learned that has helped me to become a good friend.

In order to be a good friend, you should know all about the other person, and love them despite all their faults. A friend is a close companion on rainy days, someone to share with through every phase of our lives. They forgive us and help to bring out our best, believing the good and forgetting the rest. Mother Teresa has told us that, "The true way and the sure way to friendship is through humility-accepting each other just as we are, knowing each other." You should love your friends for who they are, and the potential they have that make them great. As it was once stated by Charlotte Bronte, "If we would build on a sure foundation, we must love our friends for their sakes rather than our own." We are all fighting battles in our lives in some way or another, and we must understand that about all the people we meet. A friend is someone with whom you have common interests.

A good friend will help you out when you are feeling down. It was once said, "The human heart, at whatever age, opens only to the heart that opens in return." A good friend will stay by your side when you are going through a rough time, and they will help you get through it. A friend will listen to you, when you have just broken up with your boyfriend, or when you are feeling homesick, or even if you have just had a bad day. A friend will let you know that you are the only important person to them at that moment, your problems are what matter to them most. It makes you feel good to know that you have someone who cares about you that much. They will lend a shoulder to cry on when you need it most, and give up other things to help you out. Ed Cummingham once said, "Friends are those rare people who ask how you are we are and then wait to hear the answer." A good friend will know you as a person, and what you are all about. they know what makes you happy or sad, and what your dreams and aspirations are.

A good friend builds you up as a person, not someone who is constantly dragging you down. They complement you, and tell you that you are really a good person. they do not constantly point out your mistakes, but when they do, they do it in private, not openly. They are open and honest with you, and are very trusting of you. And there is nothing better in this world, than the encouragement of a friend.

A good friend is someone that we should all aspire to be. It is something that all people can benefit from. Friendship is not created by what we give, but more by what we share. Friendship makes a whole world of things easier to bear. The world is full of people, just waiting for us to extend a helping hand. A good friend is someone with a shoulder to cry on, and who believes in your dreams as much as you do. It is best said by Sydney Smith when it was said, "Life is fortified by many friendships. To love, and to be loved, is the greatest happiness of existence." Let us try to be good friends to all. This world would be a much better place, if we all could love and befriend each other.