Friendship is not a Product

To be a true friend means being there not when it is convenient to you but being there for your friend. To be a friend means that you are willing to give yourself not only through the good times, but also during the bad times. There is a Turkish proverb that says this so well: "A wise man remembers his friends at all times; a fool, only when he has need of them."

To be a friend means encourage strengths in others and accepting their weaknesses; in other words, accepting them for who they are. A friend encourages us when we doubt ourselves. They can sometimes see what we can not. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "A true friend is somebody who can make us do what we can."

In the end, to be a friend means giving freely and not expecting anything in return. William Arthur Ward sums it up the best with his wisdom in the following quote:

"A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths;
feels your fears but fortifies your faith;
sees your anxieties but frees your spirit;
recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities."