What is a good friend
We all have friends we rely upon.
Sometimes, we expect too much from them and when they don't commit fully, we feel betrayed.
We often make a definition of a good friend, but fail to meet that definition ourselves.
On one hand, people say that friendship is based on mutual interests. While on the other hand, some say that, selflessness is essence of a great relation.
What do you guys think a friend should be like ?
And keep in mind, that you yourself must meet that criteria, so as to not expect something unrealistic.
@MidnightListener7
Friendship is not a one size fits all ....
We may need different types of friends.... While mutual interests and perspectives can be the people we meet in that mode we seldom grow as we grow best when challenged.
The most rewarding friends i have had in life challenged me in thoughts and perspectives challenged me to do new things and re evaluate my thoughts and positions. I too realized I needed to work on being the type of friend another person needs.
Interesting perspective
Someone that is honest, caring, wants the best for you, makes time for you, not necessarily dropping everything but carving out some time for you.
It should feel equal, not afraid to tell you their opinions, even if it is not what we want to hear, but what we need too.
Respecting our boundaries, not judging and just really listening properly, not just yea yea yea..
I think it's a good definition of what a good friend looks like.
Sorry for this wall of texts. I have not had the chance to share these thoughts with anyone else yet.
I don’t have many friends, so I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what friendship really means. From what I understand, friends can come in all kinds of forms, and there's no one-size-fits-all. A friend might be someone who listens to our worries without judgment. Or they might be the one who gives us a harsh truth when we need it most. Neither is better or worse. It really just depends on what we need at that moment.
Sometimes a friend is someone we laugh and go on wild adventures with, doing things we’d never dare to do alone. Other times, they’re someone we simply sit with in silence, no pressure, no expectations, just peace. Every person brings out a different side of us, maybe even parts we didn’t know existed. That, in itself, is already quite something, discovering new versions of ourselves through the people who come into our lives.
But the hard part is that they don’t always stay. People come and go, and nothing lasts forever. Maybe that’s the point, though. Maybe we are the only constant in all of it, the one who watches it all unfold. Friends might hurt us, even without meaning to. And in the end, it’s still up to us to do the healing.
There might be anger, even resentment toward them, toward ourselves. Sometimes we fear we’ll become like the ones who hurt us. But the truth is, everyone’s just trying to live their life. I can't always blame them, or even myself, for feeling a certain way. That’s just part of being human. And sure, we all get it wrong sometimes, myself definitely included. But that’s okay too.
Truly beautiful words. You described a nuances of this relationship so well.
I too think that we can't give a strict definition to Friendship. Friends are just those humans who are close to us. That close connection can come in myriad forms though.
You described all that in a very beautiful way. I think you have a pure and keen eye.
Looking back at my time in school, college, and employment; the only "friend" that mattered to me were those I dated (intimately).
I realized schizophrenia (basically all mental illness) stems from allowing people to live rent-free in my head.
Though those intimate-friends are most welcomed to stay as long as life itself
Ohh, That's certainly a unique view.
