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by Carole Hill

Created on: March 04, 2008   Last Updated: October 11, 2009

There's an old saying, "A good friend is worth his weight in gold." It is true, if you have just one good friend, you should consider yourself lucky. A good friendship is a treasure that will enhance your life.

When we are kids, it is great to have one "best friend" to share your dreams, secrets, and have fun with all the time. By high school, we have gathered a small group of friendly "acquaintances" that we see every day, and sometimes we find a few who we can connect with as good friends.

The friends we make in school and college often stay in our lives long after school is over. As we continue our journey through life, we collect new friendships along the way. It is common to make acquaintances in the workplace and many times, become friends outside of work. It isn't unusual to build a friendship with someone who shares a common interest such as bowling, jogging, movies, etc. A friend can be found just about anywhere you go, for example, you can meet someone at a mutual friend's house, or at church, at a party, at the supermarket, or run into someone while walking the dog! You just never know whom you are destined to meet and make friends with.

There are some people you will remain friends with for your entire life. Others may come and go due to a long distance move, or a job change and even a divorce can jeopardize a friendship in certain cases. Nonetheless, some friends will keep in touch regardless of the distance in miles. I rather like the comfort of those kinds of friends, knowing that if you don't speak for a few days or weeks, that your friendship is intact. You will pick up right where you left off at the next visit. I'd call that a warm and comfortable friendship.

What is so special about having many friends is that you can count on some diversity among them. What I mean is, there is something unique and interesting about each one of our friends. No two of them are alike! Perhaps you have a friend that loves movies, so you know you can always call on him/her for a good time watching a film. Maybe another friend is a jock and loves hockey, but you know you can tag along to a game when you feel like it, and it will be tons of fun.

When you have a large circle of friends, it is almost certain that you will have a variety of personalities to call on. Every now and then, there's a friend who can be difficult or moody. You may get along famously when you are together, but you find yourself avoiding to invite over with other friends for fear he/she won't have a good time with the others.

One of my favorite things is inviting friends over. No matter how different everyone is, I know my friends will make the effort to enjoy themselves. There is a blending of interesting minds and conversations and they are there because of the friendships that connect you to one another. There is a sort of unspoken understanding and respect among good friends. And, as different as they all may be, there is a comfort that can't be explained about good friends. They all enjoy themselves because you are the common denominator! In other words, if you are friends with each one, that is the thread that links you all together. Let's suppose you have invited someone you just met at work to your party, and are looking forward to introducing him/her to your friends, but you don't worry, because you know you can count on your friends to be charming and welcoming to your new guest. Who knows, that new person may fit in so well, he/she will end up being part of the gang.

I once heard someone say, "A friend is a gift we give ourselves", and when you find a good one, you'll want to keep him/her forever. Of course, as with any gift, you must treat it with care and respect, and he/she will return the favor.

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