These days the word friend has really been watered down. The advent of social media and technology has created many virtual relationships. Many of these relationships lack depth and often crumble when tested. One of the best gifts of life is having great friends. Friends are like warm blankets when the world gets cold on us. Some relationships will come and go but your true friends are for life. Friendship is a heart thing. True friends bring out your best and like precious metals, they add value to you. It is true we all want good friends, but do we have what it takes to keep them. My mum always told me to be the friend I wanted to have. So how can great relationship go from great to flat? Gossip separates the best of relationships. You don't gossip about your friends, it should end with you. Don't spread the flames, kill it. Gossip destroys trust which is the basis and foundation of any relationship. If your friend does something wrong, your role is minimize the damage and not leave them outside to dry. A true friend stabs you in front and never at the back.
Envy and jealousy have destroyed many good relationships. It is not healthy to be jealous of your friends. I know we are human and the thoughts come to all of us, but it becomes a problem if you start acting out your envy by attacking your friends or silently rejoicing when things don't work out for them. A friend of mine once told me that you do not envy want you want to become. If you are uncontrollably envious of your friends, it is a testament of your insecurities that you have to deal with. Great friends are to build each other up and not tear each other down. My friends success is my success and vice versa.
Are you the kind of person who holds grudges and always reminds your friends of their weaknesses? No one wants to be around someone who reminds them of things they have done wrong. A mark of great relationships is forgiveness. I am not endorsing letting repeated behavior be ignored, that in itself is unhealthy. Whatever you reward will be repeated.
Do you tell your friends the truth? Many people either through fear of hurting or loosing a relationship, do not tell their friends the absolute truth. It is your responsibility to tell your friend the truth, it is not your responsibility to manage their response. True friends tell you the truth even when you dont want to hear it. If you dont tell them, you will loose them when they find out from someone else.
Finally, your friends are not magicians. If there is something that is important to you that can help your relationship, let your friends know. One of the greatest poisons of any relationship is having too much expectation from anyone person. Great relationships are developed when both parties focus on what they can give rather than what they can get.
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