Friendship is something that everyone deals with. Even if you don’t have many — or any — friends, you probably have a pretty good idea of what you look for in a friend, even if only subconsciously.
There are many characteristics that someone might have in order to be considered a friend. Loyalty, perhaps. Being a good listener. Fun, thoughtful, networked, outgoing, goofy, shared interests, shared experiences, smart, a good conversationalist.
Of all the possible traits that a friend might have, which one is most important to you?
What makes a good friend?
To help uncover what’s important to you regarding friendship, think about these questions:
- If you think about the close friends you have, is there some trait that they have in common?
- What, if anything, does what you look for in a friend have to do with your experiences and your past?
- If you’ve had a friendship come to an end, was there something lacking that caused it to fail?
Related questions: Why do we care what strangers think of us? What makes a community? Who is the most important person in your life? Who inspires you?
A close friend is someone you can almost immediately start up a good conversation with even though you may not have seen them for quite some time.
For the record, I agree with Michael.
I also think that a good friend is able to read you. I mean can tell how you’re feeling just by being around you for a few minutes or so.
I have had one of these types of friends in the past years and we are not as physically close as I would like. But we can always pick up right where we left off every time we speak.
God I miss her.
A good friend is someone who stands by you in good times and bad. For me, that’s my wife. We celebrated 50 years of marriage last year, so we’ve been through a lot together. She is not big on public displays of affection, so I won’t say more – just to encourage anyone who reads this to hang in there through thick and thin, whether it be in marriage or in a friendship. “This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”- Jesus on the night before he died, John 15:12-13.