by Deborah Allan

Created on: July 30, 2010   Last Updated: August 06, 2010

Like a foundation for a house, friendship also has to have a strong base to sit on, so that it can remain upright, strong and in tact. As you would not want your house to crumble into the dirt underneath, the same can be said for a good friendship. Being a good friend is hard work, however, it doen't have to be, if both parties involved put the same amount of energy and care into the relationship, to get the most out of it.

According to www.thefreedictionary.com, a friend is defined in many different ways. One definition says that a friend is "A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts." Another definition says that a friend is "One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement." No matter how you word it though, a friend is a life form, not necessarily a soul mate or someone with a soul connection, but someone you can trust, or rely on when you need them the most.

There are many things to consider, when looking at the basis of a good friendship. A good friendship needs to be strong. Too many times in life do we let great friendships slip away because we could not strengthen the bond between ourselves and our friend. Being there for eachother is very important, as this does keep the relationship strong, and like any relationship, you also need to communicate. If something is bothering you, you need to discuss it with your friend, and be straight forward with them, or it will just fester and explode, and once that happens, its hard to recover.

Mutual respect is another aspect of friendship, that makes the relationship work. Friends don't have to believe the same things, shop at the same stores, or even like the same music. However, we must respect eachothers likes and dislikes, as well as each others life styles, in order to keep the friendship in tact, with no tension. If we learn to respect eachother, there is less likely to be strife in the mix. If you are tolerating your friend, then chances are that the friendship will not last, as we should never use the word tolerate when referring to our close companions.

If you do not feel like you can trust your friend, then the friendship will not last. You have to be able to know that your friend is trustworthy, and you have to make sure you portray yourself that way as well. If you can't trust eachother, then you can trust no one.

You also have to be able to enjoy eachother's company. Whether its staying home and watching a movie, or going out with other friends, or family members, you

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