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Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Golden Rules of Friendship



Over the years many of us have all had our fair share of making and losing friends. Some of the those relationships have lingered and stayed strong, others have crashed and burned quicker than a Sarah Palin bid for the presidency. But - what always seems to surprise me- is how I feel when I realize- I have failed in allowing a bad person into my life- and ultimately losing their friendship.

Now, in all fairness, we chose who we let in and out of our lives- and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a failed relationship (friendship or intimate) because not everyone gets along. None of us are bound together by some universal contract. But- what I find hard is that I truly believe in the best of people and hope that they can be somewhat reciprocating when it comes to the "unspoken rules" of friendship.

The rules? you ask. Well- yes. Lets make them up- and say that there are 4 cardinal rules of friendship.

1. You are "there" for your friend. (period)

This one is pretty standard. When they cry- you give the shoulder, when they are sick- you bring them soup, when they are happy- you celebrate with them. When they are upset- you understand and listen- the basics- you get the point.


2. You are mutually and unabashedly supportive of your friend.

When you ask your friend for help- you return the favor. Helping them move, going for a drive, going out, taking them to dinner, doing something you hate. Friends should just... do.

3. You trust your friend.

A good friend will NEVER let you down. So if they are telling you your too drunk- your too drunk. if they are telling you to start hitting the gym- go, if they hate the guy you are dating- there is a reason. A friend should know you inside and out. So you should trust them- they are your protector.

4. You are always "present" in some way shape or form in their lives.

This one is the golden rule in my book. There is nothing worse than having a friend that isn't "present" while you hang out with them. Distracted by the phone, talking about themselves or never asking how your day was. BE PRESENT people! Get to know your good friends- nine times out of ten- they have something to talk to you about.

Now- after all this is said and done- Im sure there can be a few more rules added in- but why? Keep it simple right. More rules than this only apply to relationships. In my opinion- the best of friends are able to maintain these four rules and have a long standing friendship with you. If they don't, then they were just acquaintances.

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