Being a Good Friend

"To have a friend, you must be a friend."  The old saying holds true.  Those who befriend others store up for themselves an assorted collection of brothers and sisters who may indeed one day return the benefit in some small or large way.  You can never have too many friends.

The Golden Rule is good for anybody: treat others as you would want to be treated yourself.  This includes not intruding upon another's space, for another wise saying is, "Don't wear out your welcome."  Friends need to balance time spent together with the time they spend apart.

"One bad apple spoils the whole barrel."  How those words ring true!  You may think yourself beyond the possibility of becoming "spoiled."  No one is immune, however.  If you spend very much time among those with bad habits (or illegal ones), your morals may accidentally begin to erode.  It is important to exercise discrimination when choosing one's friends, but at the same time to be open to people who are not necessarily bad even though they may be different or unusual.

Friendships that pass the test of time require hard work.  One must not forget small things such as birthdays or Christmas cards.  Just a tiny reminder can do so much to keep touch with those whom we have come to know.  It is important also not to abandon old friends as more and more new friendships are struck up, for the saying again holds true, "Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver, the other gold."