BEING A FRIEND

There is a difference between being an acquaintance and being a friend.

First, an acquaintance is someone whose name you know, who you see every now and then, who you probably have something in common with, and who you feel comfortable around. It's a person that you can invite to your home and share things with. But they are people who you wouldn't share your life with, whose actions sometimes you don't understand because you don't know enough about them.

On the other hand, a friend is someone you love. Not that you are "in love" with them, although it may be that too, but you care about them and you think about them when they are not there.

They are the people whose pictures you have in your heart and whose faces are in your head. They are the people you see in your mind when you hear a song on the radio because it reminds you of the time you were traveling in the car together and they amused you with their singing and their smile.

They are the people you are reminded of when you see something they might like, and you know this because you know them so well.

They are the people you cried with when you got rejected from colleges and during the last song at prom and at graduation.

They are the people you feel safe around because you know they care about you. They call just to see how you're doing, because a friend doesn't need an excuse. They tell you the truth, the first time, and you do the same. You know that if you have a problem, they are there to listen.

They are the people who won't laugh at you or hurt you, and if they do hurt you, they try hard to make it up to you.

They are the people you love, regardless of whether you realize it. Regardless of whether you take them for granted.

They are the people that when you hug them, you don't think about how long to hug and who's going to be the first to let go. Maybe they are the people that hold the rings at your wedding, or maybe they are the people that give you away at your wedding, or maybe they are the people you marry. They are certainly the people that cry at your wedding because they are happy or because they are proud or because they are so in love.

They are the people who stop you from making mistakes and help you when you do.

They are the people whose hand you can hold. The people you can hug and not have it be awkward because they understand the things you do and they love you for them. They stick with you and stand by you. They hold your hand, sometimes when they are not even with you.

They watch you live and you watch them live and you learn from each other.

Your life is not the same without them. These are your friends. How many do you have?

"A Friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and sings it back to you when you have forgotten how it goes."


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