Meaning of True Friendship

By Jessie Reed

Many people will walk in and out of our lives, but only true friends will leave footprints in our hearts. -Author Unknown-

The meaning of True Friendship would have a different meaning depending on whom you may ask. A true friendship is built onmutual trust, respect, and shared experiences, characterized by unwavering support, open communication, and the ability to celebrate each other's successes and offer comfort during difficult times.According to Telfer, Elizabeth (1970), The requirements of being true friends, the relationship must consist of three things: reciprocal services, mutual contact, and joint pursuits. Another analysis, according to Annis (1987), is that friendship requires a mutual liking, where liking involves being attracted to, having a preference for, being pleased by, or enjoying the other person. Both Plato and Aristotle stressed the reciprocal or mutual nature of friendship.

Plutarch notes, "It is a fact that the enjoyment of friendship lies in its intimacy, and the pleasantest part of it is found in association and daily companionship. Friends do things together, seek each other out, and enjoy each other's companionship. Besides mutual liking and sharing, friendship involves caring for our friend and being concerned about his or her welfare. Alex Lickerman of Psychology Today states:

The Japanese have a term Kenzoku, which translates literally means family. The connotation suggests a bond between people who have made a similar commitment and possibly share a similar destiny. It implies the presence of the deepest connection of friendship, of lives lived as comrades from their distant past (Lickerman, 2010, para 1).

Many individuals have people in their lives with whom they share a remarkable and unbreakable bond described by the word, kenzoku. These individuals may be family members such as: their mother, father, brother, sister, daughter, son or even a close cousin. This kind of friendship could also be formed during childhood in grade school, in high school, in college, or any other encounter from the past, with whom their paths have crossed, and that no individual could pose a threat that would in any way let anything diminish the bond these individuals share between them. No amount of time or space could ever tear away their shared bond.

Have you ever had that one friend that was like a sister or brother you never had? If so, then you have a true friend. Therefore, the question arises, What draws these people together to form a bond known asTrue Friendship? According to Lickermans article on Psychology Today, the answer consists of four major qualities: Common interests, History, Common values, and Equality. Furthermore, another question posed is, What makes a friend worthy of the name kenzoku? The answer given to this question is based on three factors: commitment to ones own happiness, not asking the other individual to place their friendship before their own principles, and finally, a good influence. (Lickerman, Psychology Today)

I believe that it all boils down to Fate! I feel that True Friendshipdoes not happen by chance or coincidence. I believe that everything, including the formation of True Friendships, was already in the making, way before we ever even knew the person with whom we encounter in our lives that we find to be worthy to be considered asTrue Friends,and even before these two individuals develop a connection that can only be classified asTrue Friendship.

True Friendship, for me, is defined by that individual you can depend on through thick and thin, in good times and bad times, happy or sad times, and has the ability to make it through any and all obstacles that life may place in their paths. The kind of Friendship that no man could ever hinder or alter is a true gift of fate, A true gift from God.

When a person finds another person worthy of being considered a True Friend, they have found life's most precious gift. A True Friend is an individual who loves and cares for you no matter what color you are, how big or small you are, how rich or poor you are, whether you are a success or failure in the eyes of society, no matter what nationality or gender you are, and even regardless of the differences of your age. Sadly, most people can live their entire lives and never have an individual they can consider a True Friend.

In conclusion, I believe that the real definition of True Friendshipis when that person considers your well-being as valuable as his or her own. To be considered aTrue Friend, one must truly listen to the other person when he or she is talking and support that persons decisions, even if they may not be the best decision for that individual. The Bible says: Do to others as you would have them do to you. {Luke 6:31 NIV}
Do you have someone you can consider as aTRUE FRIEND?If so, share about it in the comments?