It’s been a while since I touched on a topic that really is important to me. It’s probably important to most people, also.
That is friendship. I’m not sure a person can have too many friends. Not all of them necessarily are close friends, but those who possess certain traits I discussed when writing about this topic several years ago.
Over the past few months, I’ve come to realize that really close friends are those who step up to help and show compassion without even being asked to do so.
Really close friends are hard to make and are developed over a period of time, I believe.
There are certain qualities that a true friend must have I think. One is enjoying the person and having some common interest. Another is a common trust of one another.
Without trust, there is no true friendship. Honesty is an all-important quality and establishes the foundation for the friendship. Without honesty and trust, there is no true friendship really and whatever the relationship might be, it will evaporate pretty quickly.
True friendship means not trying to take advantage of that person at any time. A true friend always has your back and you always are willing to respond in the same manner at any time, any place.
True friends like being around one another. That doesn’t require constantly having to be with each other all the time.
Going places, doing things, just listening to someone’s thoughts, ideas or problems, are all part of an established friendship.
I have found that friendships begin in various ways. Some just happen, others might start even in awkward ways.
It might be that you become well acquainted with the spouse of a person who has served on a board with you and you become friends with her husband because of some common interest.
One place I’ve noticed where you often find friends is in the church I attend regularly. That doesn’t mean they become extremely close but they are outgoing.
Over the last few months there hasn’t been a weekend past when I went to church someone hasn’t asked about me and my family.
I became friends with a person well over 40 years ago because he was the reason I was covering a board hearing.
Another friendship started because I served on the same board his wife and did for a number of years. In fact, I appointed her to that board.
Other friendships are started with relatives. That is there are relatives you become closer to than others for one reason or another.
Other close friendships are started as the result of participation in civic clubs or other community organizations.
One’s job can lead to friendships as the result of getting to know a person or persons through the workplace.
Other friendships are developed through fellowships. Some people become good friends and you might never imagine that person would become such a good, close friend.