Friendship

[reyd reid reed]

What's important to you in a friendship? I'm not talking 'running buddies' or acquaintances that you like to hang out with...I'm talking a friend.

[Nicole]

1. Trust

is number one. Everything else is easy after that one.

[Floogeldy]

3. Have you ever trusted someone who betrayed your trust?

I don't think that I have. Not that I can remember, anyway.

[Nicole]

5. Yes I have

and it was a painful experience.

[reyd reid reed]

9. I have and it's probably the most painful thing imaginable.

When you trust someone to be honest with you and then they...I don't want to say lie, but...avoid...that honesty.

It's devastating.

[reyd reid reed]

4. Trust is up there.

Honesty's a big one, too. Kinda goes along with trust.

[Nicole]

8. Yes, they do go together

Sadly, they break apart together too. :(

[Robeson]

7. Nicely said in one word...

...:thumbsup:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Yes indeed.....trust...........

Common interests......

Respect......

The genuine ability to communicate......whether via language or some other way.......

:hug:

[reyd reid reed]

11. Respect.

That's another big one. You have to have respect for a friend and know that the respect is mutual.

[Floogeldy]

6. You. Said. The. Magic. Word.

[LeftyMom]

10. Depends on how close a friend.

Trust is vital. My closest female friend is somebody I've known since childhood. We don't have a lot of similar interests or values, but I'd trust her with my life or that of my child.

My closest freind, period? I trust him every bit as much, but we have a great deal more in common, which makes it easier to talk to him without telling why I feel how I do about something every time.

[reyd reid reed]

12. Those are the kinds of friends I'm talking about.

Acquaintances and buddies and pals are a dime a dozen...but a real friendship is something rare and something wonderful.

I'm glad you have those two. You're fortunate.

:hug:

[leftofthedial]

13. trust,

reliability,

giving and taking--being okay that it's not always 50-50; sometimes it's 80-20; sometimes it's 20-80.

some common ground

[reyd reid reed]

15. The reliability factor's important

You rely on a friend to be honest and to tell you things that you don't want to hear, knowing that they trust you enough to be able to deal with it.

The give-and-take of friendship is more flexible than the reliability...sometimes you feel like you're dumping on a friend, taking and taking and taking but in a true friendship, that seems to even out. And it usually doesn't matter anyway because a friend doesn't measure things like that. They're just there for you, no matter what. It's not about percentages.

[mad-mommy]

14. someone i can tell anything to ...

I knew my best friend from 1st grade. We tell each other everything, even the stuff we don't tell our own sisters.

[reyd reid reed]

18. So communication, then.

I agree. That counts for so much. There are so few people in our lives that we can be completely open with. When you find one, it's wonderful.

[Magrittes Pipe]

16. Friends are for suckers.

:thumbsdown:

[reyd reid reed]

19. So...you don't think of anyone at all as a friend?

Not even your wife/SO?

I'm sorry. I know you you feel, but...I'm sorry.

:hug:

[Magrittes Pipe]

21. I wasn't being serious.

But thanks for the :hug: anyway. :hi:

[reyd reid reed]

24. I'm glad.

I hate to think of anyone not having a friend, someone that they trust enough to talk to about anything.

The idea is heartbreaking. I'm glad you have someone.

:hug:

[LynzM]

17. Trust, comfort, honesty

My real friends are people who I am comfortable just "being myself" for... no dressing up, no 'masks', no pretending, just me. I trust them, they trust me. I don't have to hold my tongue, and we talk about all kinds of stuff, whether we agree or disagree, we still talk about stuff. Those are the things that are most important to me.

[reyd reid reed]

20. "...whether we agree or disagree, we still talk about stuff..."

On. The. Head.

[NewWaveChick1981]

22. A true close friend would have honesty, trust, compassion, and

acceptance going for them. Not passing judgment on someone and offering advice and comfort when needed are two things I want from a real friend. I bring these qualities to a friendship, and I want them in a friend. :)

[reyd reid reed]

26. I'd have to agree with you

All important qualities. It really is complicated, isn't it? I mean, it's not but it is. What if one of those things is missing, though? Or is compromised? What then? Friendship is kind of like marriage...hell, most true friendships weather the storms better than marriages...but it's like a marriage in that it looks and sounds so simple, Should be so simple, can be so simple. In principle. In practice...sometimes it's hard.

And losing one...

[Dora]

23. Unconditional love. n/t

[reyd reid reed]

27. Unconditional.

That's the key, I think.

:hug:

[Dora]

28. I've disappointed too many "friends."

:hug:

[reyd reid reed]

30. None of us are perfect.

And I'm sure you're being too hard on yourself. Unconditional means you don't Have to be perfect. You just have to care enough to try.

:hug:

[johnnie]

25. Someone who helps me with the bodies

And keeps their mouths shut.

[reyd reid reed]

36. LOL!

And just how many are there?

Remind me not to piss you off.

[johnnie]

39. And just how many are there?

I'm not tellin'. And neither are my friends. :)

[reyd reid reed]

42. Heh...

[mad-mommy]

45. hahaha...n/t

[WritingIsMyReligion]

29. Hmmm...

My few friends are mostly friends I can run up to at any time, and not be ashamed or embarrassed or worried about bothering. You can be unabashedly spontaneous with a true friendship.

Because any time (within reason) is a good time for true friends.

:D

[reyd reid reed]

33. Do you feel like you can go to them...not just any time...

But with anything. Tell them what you're thinking or what's going on in your life? And do they trust you enough to do the same?

[Broken_Hero]

31. trust

respect, a lot of things. One thing that my good friends have, is direct honesty, and I appreciate that...adn extreme sarcastic humor...:)

[reyd reid reed]

34. There are a lot of things...

Trust and honesty are the ones that keep popping up.

And sarcasm? Who'da thunk it?

[Broken_Hero]

38. Sarcasm is good

its keeps us in check, on certain things that we take to serious, and with a bit of sarcasm, we can understand that the world isn't exploding, and everythings okay...not just at DU, or flame wars here, but in life as well, my main issue I worry about is money, bills and what not, and a good sarcastic comment, will snap me out of my seriounsss, or my chicken little dance...:)

[LaraMN]

32. Sincerity.

The most enduring friendships I've had are with people who are genuine and honest. Anything less, and you're not dealing with a full person, which makes it impossible to have a deep and lasting relationship.

[reyd reid reed]

35. You're absolutely right, I think.

:hug:

[buddhamama]

37. trust

100% trust; trust in their sincerity, genuineness and their love and respect for you and vise versa.

if you have trust then you "know" their intentions are good and they want only what is best for you regardless- unconditional love.

[reyd reid reed]

40. Well said, I think.

:hug:

[Guava Jelly]

41. Trust

:)

[reyd reid reed]

44. Absolutely. Seems to be paramount, the one thing

that's common to everyone.

:hug:

[Arugula Latte]

43. High up on the list is laughter.

I need someone with a very good sense of humor. And someone who is very liberal (to be a close friend, that is). And someone who is not flaky. And an exchange of helpfulness (I help her/she helps me).

[reyd reid reed]

46. That's where the compatability issues come in.

That's something that's got to be there for a friendship to even begin to grow.