A friend, as defined from the Merriam and Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary is someone that is not hostile, someone that favors or promotes something, someone to whom one is attached by affection or esteem and someone that is of the same nation, party or group. It originated from two languages namely, English and German. One is, from the word freon meaning to love and freo meaning free, both of the Old English language. It is also traced back from the word friunt which also means friend in the Old German language.

Friendship can be considered older than history. Even the oldest book known to man, the Old Testament, described friendship in several of its passages. What constitutes a person enough to call him or her a friend is a highly subjective matter. Basing from the above mentioned definition, we all have different ideas of this relationship drawing from a substantial amount of learning experiences from various interpersonal relationships.

Anyone, whatever gender and age would want to have a friend that would last him a lifetime. Human beings are naturally social that an interaction initiated by one person can form the budding seeds of this highly desirable relationship. How does one create a lasting one?

As mentioned earlier, a friend is someone to whom you become attached affectionately. Many of you would have difficulty in turning down a friend’s request because you give high regard to his or her feelings. By putting his feelings in such state, you avoid as much as possible any situation that would eventually hurt him. This affection develops through time.

In order to create a lasting friendship, friends should have something in common, like same dreams, same aspirations, same likes or dislikes. There are people who become friends but cannot begin to understand how closely knit they are amidst the many differences they have. Take note that there are no two people that are exactly alike – even the identical twins! Some people find it easier to bond with same traits they have while some find it better with personalities contrast to theirs.

Like marriage, friendship is tested through time. Trust being the most important foundation of any relationship, is also a requirement for friendship to last. The old folks would say that unlike money, trust is more difficult to gain once it is lost. Quite true. In fact, some friendships that have counted years break in just one occasion of betrayal.

Friends that are just starting out usually develops deeper as they share same activities. Even people who claim to be long-time friends despite many differences have some activities that they share. These can be anything like having an ice cream despite the cold weather, playing an all weather corn toss game, or liking a basketball game even if the other does not know how to dribble a ball. Though your friend likes hot drinks during a rainy day, he or she would not stop you from having an ice cream. A friend may not know how to play basketball, but this fact alone makes him the suitable friend for someone who doesn’t know how.

Friendship is a long and time-enduring process that thrives and bear fruit in one basic human attribute – Trust.

Author Bio: William U. Steinmetz enjoys writing for Targettossgames.com which sells washers game and all weather corn hole set as well as a host of additional products.

Category: Relationships
Keywords: friendship,lasting friendship,friends