November 21, 2021 l by Tara E.
What is a good friend? Good friends are hard to find. For decades, songs have been written about what it means to be a good friend. Friends (Jody Watley), That’s What Friends are For (Elton John, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight), You’ve Got a Friend (Michael Jackson), and Friends (Whodini). Sometimes, trying to figure out if you have a good friend in your life can be tricky. Sometimes we are quick to label people as our friends. However, some of these people are likely mere acquaintances.
What is an Acquaintance?
An acquaintance is someone you know. They are not necessarily a close friend. They can know you in a personal or social way. Many of us are rich with acquaintances in our lives. It can take years to separate the friends. If you struggle with identifying who your friends are there are some basic qualities to look for in a person.
What is a Good Friend?
You are worthy of only having people in your life who demonstrate they have a modicum of respect for you. We can define the character of a good friend a couple of paragraphs or crafty words. If you are still reading this article, you know that friendship is far more complex than a few words. Friendship has multiple facets to it. It is the cliche’ roller coaster ride. Here are 25 statements about friendship for you to consider.
A good friend will:
- Call you in lieu of a text message.
- Avoid making promises they cannot keep.
- Celebrate your successes, not begrudge you.
- Always tell you the truth.
- Be a dependable source of support in good and bad times.
- Not always have to be right and will always confess their mistakes.
- Not take advantage of your generosities.
- Be loyal to a fault and will keep your secrets.
- Be an empathetic listener.
- Reciprocate respect.
- Call you just to hear your voice.
- Accept you and your faults without enabling them.
- Not be judgmental.
- Enjoy exchanging advice and opinions with you.
- Not take offense to your request for “Me” time.
- Help you find humor under the worst possible circumstances.
- Be fun to hang around.
- Build self-confidence.
- Lend a shoulder and an ear for even the most asinine topics.
- Take care of your feelings, even when they have to be honest with you about something.
- Give you room to grow and is willing to grow with you
- Not desert you when the going gets tough.
- Listen to your complaints, whining and incessant ‘Why Me’ complex.
- Be healthy for your life.
- Be a you friend because they choose to be.
Friendships are the cornerstone of happiness. They provide comfort, laughter and security that can be difficult to find in other places. We all know what it feels like to have a good friend. Their presence just makes us feel better about ourselves, our lives and everything around us. These 25 qualities are just the tip of the iceberg. Take time to examine the people in your lives. Reward them for coming through and pay attention to how they honor you.