Friendship

I'd like to take a minute and discuss what I feel is the true definition of friendship. Over my relatively short life, I have encountered many types of personalities that have different ideas of the definition of friendship. Here are my musings.

1. A person only has a few friends in their lifetime. In some cases, only as many as the amount of fingers on both hands.

2. An acquaintance is not the same as a friend. Acquaintances are people you know and can have a good conversation with from time to time, but aren't there to help you at your darkest times.

3. A friend is a person who will wake up or stay up with you at your most vulnerable moments and attempt to console you in their own unique way.

2 waterfalls, 2 friends merging together through life.

4. After being invited to a party/wedding/anniversary/functions in general that you do not want to go to alone, that friend will accompany you even though she/he may not want to go.

5. At the aforementioned series of events, that friend will take your glass of alcohol and pass you water when you've had too much to drink, or will take you home when you've fallen asleep on a couch in another person's home. All of this being done of course, without you asking.

6. A friend truly understands all your quirks and traits, good and especially the not so good and still accepts you regardless. Surprisingly, many people think they accept each other's quirks, but in reality, they try to avoid that person when the negative traits flare up or aren't all that supportive at all.

• i.e. excessive worrying. When a person worries too much about things that are out of his/her control, the result can be annoying and tedious for the friend enduring this trait. Yet, they still remain friends.

7. A friend remembers you. Simple statement yes, but think about precisely what this means. Remembering birthdays and milestones are important, but I have another example in mind.

• Knowing that you love going to a certain annual fundraiser that sells out quickly, a true friend asks you to sit at his/her table and goes out of his/her way to get the tickets instead of you pleading for them and getting an answer such as, "I don't have any tickets. The event is sold out" (when in fact it really isn't).

8. During your big milestones, birthdays, and important occasions, that friend will always be there celebrating with you.

9. I believe that your husband or wife should end up being your best friend.

10. At the root of friendship, there is love, respect, and trust- three traits I find the most important.