For a person to understand the true meaning of friendship, he has to be a true friend himself first. A friend who is not only there when things are all hunky and dory, but also when his friend is down and out. A friend who provides care, comfort and lends an ear when all others have closed doors on a person. As Grace Pulpit puts it, "A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out."
A true friend is someone who teaches us something valuable, from whom we can learn various things about love and life. In the words of Albert Schweitzer, "In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It then bursts into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."
A true friend is the one who accepts us the way we are. In front of whom we can make fool of ourselves and can talk anything under the sun. As Dinah Craik puts it in the book titled, "A Life for a Life", "But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away."
For some people friendship is all about bonding and companionship, and a friend someone whom they can talk to and share their thoughts and feelings. As a friendship quote by Virginia Woolf puts across, "Some people go to priests; others to poetry; I to my friends."
A friend is someone, who contributes to our growth as an individual, someone who never gets in the way, unless to motivate us to do better in life, someone who gives us space. In the words of Elisabeth Foley, "The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart."
Meaning of friendship for children may be slightly different. They may feel that if they socialize with someone everyday, he is there true friend. That's why it is up to the adults to tell the children that a true friend is someone who would never ever even think of hurting his friend. And that friendship is all about love, concern, comfort level and emotional safety. "Friendship is a sheltering tree."
The mark of a true friend is that he never judges, he only accepts. A true friend is someone who loves not in spite of a person's flaws but with all of a person's flaws. "The friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you."
A true friend is someone who gives a reality check every now and then. Someone who keeps our feet firmly on the ground, someone who tells us when we are going wrong. According to a famous Sicilian Proverb, "Only your real friends will tell you when your face is dirty." Read more on what makes a good friend.
A thorough understanding of each other, respect and trust, love and comfort - all constitute the true meaning of friendship. So, make as many friends as you can and be a good friend to all you meet. "A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be."
