Friendship is a, er, well, a thing?

[KillerMuffin]

What is friendship? How do you decide whether someone is your friend or just an acquaintance you feel friendly toward? What constitutes a good friend? Are there differing levels of friendship? What are they? How do you figure them out? Do you even bother? Of the friends you can't live without, what makes them better friends than others?

 

[Cirrus]

Friendship, for me is something I just KNOW. I know who my friends are. Yeah, there are levels of friendship, but I don't know what they are. All I know is that I have friends I can share anything with and some I can only talk about casual day to day stuff with. I just depends on how the 2 of you mesh, I think. Of the friends I can't live without, of which there is only one, I've known him for 10 years, and we have been through EVERYTHING together, good and bad. I think it's our history that makes us such good friends.

 

[Synnerman]

Friends. A much used word and so little is it really understood.
Certainly true friendship is a rare thing. I think the easy answer would be a true friend is one you can always count on when needed. The rest of the answer is something to think about, and I will.

 

[bluespoke]

What is a friend?

A support
A critic
A shoulder to cry on
A hug
A kick in the pants
A worrier
A confidant


All these things rolled into one, giving a person who cares.

 

[Latinababe]

LatinaBabe


Hmnmz what makes a friend..well I guess them being there when you really need them. Some friends I call friends but not like a true friend that will do anything for you and let you do all for them. I only have one best friend that I knew since highscool and that is the one I call a true friend. All the other are just people that are just friends....lol


I think I made some sense here...lmao

 

[RavenStorm]

I have very few close friends. I learned the hard way that people that call themselves your friends will stab you in the back faster than any enemy. My male friends are the ones I can't live without. And not because of anything sexual. I am a woman, but men are easier for me to figure out than the women. What constitutes a good friend to is someone that will not judge me for things I have done or have had done to me. Someone that will laugh at your supidest jokes and cry when you need a crying partner. Someone that won't tell all your secrets or talk shit about you behind your back. Someone that wants to fight for you when you are hurt. And picks you up when you fall down without saying I told you so. My best friend is a guy and he does all those things without demanding or even asking to get in my pants.

 

[Guest]

What is friendship?

A connection. A warm blanket around your cold shoulders.

"The real test of friendship is: can you literally do nothing with the other person? Can you enjoy those moments of life that are utterly simple?"
-Eugene Kennedy

With a friend, you can laugh at the silliness of life or cry together when pain occurs.

Aquaintances require hellos and smiles. Friends are able to sit together in silence.

 

[ARaynes]

I have always thought friendship was a person who knew the real you and liked you anyway.....

an aquaintance is just someone you talk to......on a regular basis, but doesn't know much about you.

 

[Private Vasquez]

well said, raindancer.

Being the introvert that I am, a friend is someone I share things about myself with. I'd never let an aquaintence "in," while a friend is welcome.

 

[Hamletmaschine]

Friendship is a myth. There are no such things as friends, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, gods, dragons, etc.

 

[Rubyfruit]

Oh, yes, there are different levels of friendship. When I first became a stay at home mom, I made lots of other "mom" friends. We would meet at the park or zoo with our kids. We had play group at each other's houses. We gave each other companionship. We had our kids and our "jobs" as stay at home moms in common.

Occasionally, there would be a mom who I felt a deeper bond with. Someone I would have choose to spend my time with regardless of the kid connection, but mostly, the friendships didn't extend past the kiddie birthday parties.

True, deep friendship is rare indeed. Those friends who you can tell all of your secrets to, who you know will always be there for you, are a treasure to be cherished. That type of friendship will stand the test of time, disagreements and life changes such as marriage or kids. It will last longer than some of your romantic relationships.

I count myself lucky to have a handful of people like that in my life, who I know will be there with me until the end.

 

[lisalove]

To me a true friend is someone who cares about me not just in spite of my idiosyncracies, but because of them...(and vice-versa).

 

[Wiggles]

I have always thought friendship was a person who knew the real you and liked you anyway.....

an aquaintance is just someone you talk to......on a regular basis, but doesn't know much about you.

I like this answer. I'd also like to add that a friend is someone who doesn't leave just because the going gets rough, or they think they have no more use for you.

I might give a shot at trying to describe best friends and why the they're best later tonight.

 

[Private Vasquez]

Friendship is a myth. There are no such things as friends, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, gods, dragons, etc.

but I have proof

 

[Hamletmaschine]

Easter's off. They found the body.

 

[Starfish]

Tis a many splendored thing.

 

[nasty]

If I hang out with someone, they're my friend. If I just se them at work, a friendly acquientance. Then, they're you guys. I don't know how to claffify all of ya...WEIRDOS!

 

[Shylady]

A friend will never betray you, no matter what others think. You can tell them anything and know it won't be used against you with someone else.


Hamlet if you want a friend then first you have to be a friend.

 

[Hamletmaschine]

Hamlet if you want a friend then first you have to be a friend.

There's always a catch, isn't there?

 

[Shylady]

There's always a catch, isn't there?

yes there is, but a true friendship is worth it.

 

[Fly_On_Wall]

A freind is someone who cares.

 

[JUDO]

A friend is the person who asks, "Are you okay?" before I ask myself.

 

[Svedish_Chef]

When they make me talk to the dinosaurs on the brain monster kid of theirs.

 

[Laurel]

There aren't many people on this planet I consider friends. I have tons of acquaintances, though.

A friend is someone who cares about me as a person; who is there when I need them, not just when they need something from me; who loves me; who worries when I'm unhappy instead of rolling their eyes and finding someone else to play with until I'm happy again. In return, I reciprocate and then some.

I often find myself being more of a friend to people than they are to me. I give people I like more than their share of chances to prove that they're worth my time. Sometimes, no matter how many chances they're given, these people still show themselves to be shitty friends. In those cases, the people fall out of the "friend" category and become "acquaintances".

 

[apple3141]

A friend indeed

I have always thought friendship was a person who knew the real you and liked you anyway.....

The simplest is the best. I would only add, diffidently, that a friend is one who also doesn't make a production out of liking you "in spite of your faults" - that is just self indulgence on their part.