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How we feel about life is closely linked to the quality of our friendships. A friend should be someone who shares a special bond or relationship with you. However, all and sundry would not (and should not) qualify for your friendship. Indeed, every friend should possess certain qualities in the context of the friendship. Although everyone has their own tastes and preferences, these qualities are essential to healthy and lost-lasting friendships.

i) Supportive

A friend should support your dreams, goals and ambitions. This support could be moral support, but a good friend may actively assist you with your self-actualisation. For certain, a friend would not discourage you or de-motivate you in any way (unless there is something sinister or impractical about your aims).

ii) Honest

If you're doing something wrong or unacceptable, your friend should tell you so. We may have friends who may be afraid to tell us certain things because they fear they'd hurt us or think of them differently. Honesty provides the atmosphere for trust to develop and for the friendship to grow. This quality is a must have for people in general, far more a friend.

iii) All-weather

You need a friend for all seasons, not just the fair-weather type. A friend should be there during the good and bad times. Staying throughout the vicissitudes of life is the acid test for a friend.

iv) Caring

Your friend does not have to be Mother Teresa, but should at least care about you. They should let you know that they care, preferably by action. A friend should give you space when you need it and a shoulder to lean on when necessary.

vi) Trust-worthy

Your friend knows a few things about you that other people (even other friends) may not know. Such a confidant shouldn't divulge your private life or information. You should be able to trust that confidentiality is upheld with your friend. Trustworthiness also applies to keeping friends who have integrity, morals, good values and proper priorities.

vi) Sincere

This isn't sincerity in the context of honesty (we appraised that already) but in the context of being free from pretence. You should be wary of pretentious people generally, since you can never quite be sure where you stand with them. For someone to know you intimately, you have to be sure that their friendship is not a faade. They should not be your friend for convenience or to suit their own purposes.

vii) Dependable

It's good to know that your friends are pretty reliable. You can count on them to be there when they

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