A good friend never goes away, when you need help
No man is an island; therefore, interaction and friendship are the essential parts of human life. A person cannot live without interacting and live an exclusive life without other people. Being involved in many structures such as work, social life, political games, monetary system, facing many difficulties in life, the human mind requires someone who could help to relax, feel safe and comfortable with. Although everyone can comprehend and explain what it means to be a good friend, not many people can say they have a good friend or they are a good one.
Friendship is a complicated process that involves several people and various sides of their lives where a good friend is one who cares about needs of other people, who is ready to give all one’s attention and forces to help a friend on different levels starting from simple to walk the dog, to share a place to live, to encourage a friend to improve one’s life, changing job, traveling, getting married or, vice versa, divorcing.
Friendship is a multi-faceted process that requires everyone be more attentive to needs of others; a good friend is one who less egoistic and selfish and more comprehensive and empathetic because a friend is not the one who had been given for another person from one’s birth as parents and other members or family but a friend also becomes a family member, very close person who can feel one’s emotions, understand one’s needs, thoughts and desires.
Friendship as a double-sided process based on honesty and confidence
Friends spend and make time for each other and often have each other’s backs through good and bad times. Everyone needs to have and maintain relationships with people outside of the common family unit to add diversity and support to the complete family structure. For instance, when my friend is ill I would come not just to visit him or her, I would spend all my time near to my friend, trying to help as much as possible.
True friendship is a process of non-stop movement that involves a special attitude towards one chosen by you as a friend. However, we should not consider friendship as work or duty. Being near to ill friends and supporting him or her, a good friend does not want to prove something because support cannot be an obligatory or, vice versa, such relationships would not be a real friendship. In a situation when a friend is ill, a good friend, as well as other family members, stays in a hospital, spending days and nights there. A good friend never goes away, when you need help.
Friendship is a process that involves several people; thus, as a double-sided process, friendship can be considered an exchange. You cannot use someone or require something from this person if you do not do the same.
For instance, I am going to apply to the university that my friend is interested to enter too. I already know about the intentions of my friend; however, a friend does not know about mines. In this situation, I consider my friend as a rival; however, he was honest with me. Should I tell him about the application? A good friend would not even reflect on this question because for a good one the answer is evident. A good friend would never betray or lie. Friendship requires honest attitude, compassion, and assurance that one can rely on one’s friend.
Motivation and encouragement of a friend as one of the basic characteristics of a good friend
Another valuable basement of friendship is the motivation and encouragement of a friend. Thus, if my friend needs advice on how to improve his life or a good motivation for why he should move on, I must explain to him why his life should be improved, what is wrong and how we can develop the current situation. For instance, my friend is married to a girl who cannot understand his needs. Simply, their cultural backgrounds are completely different and they are unable to find the golden middle between two sides of their interests. As a good friend, I should help my friend to realize where to move. Thus, he and his wife could go to a marriage counselor and try to maintain and improve their marriage.
However, analyzing the peculiarities of this situation, we can find that divorce is only one solution because this marriage cannot be saved. In every situation, a good friend has to offer his or her help to find the most appropriate solution. Friends have to share their thoughts and plans. Although one should make decisions by oneself, a good friend who knows one better than other people can suggest better ideas and methods.
Friendship as a non-stop process of development requires a presence of such qualities as respect, compassion, honesty, and confidence that a friend would not betray, lie and go away in the case when he /she does not get the profit of this relationships. The crowning glory of a true and good friendship should be the ability to share in the good and the bad times. True friendship is an asset and should be nurtured and involved such characteristics as loyalty, trust, and learning how to help a friend in various situations.