Tough times never last but tough people do.
We don’t choose our parents or children, but we do choose our friends. They can mean just as much to us as our relatives because we’ve chosen to make them part of our lives. Real friends give our lives meaning and joy and we should appreciate their value. Here are 5 signs you’re blessed with actual friends, who will always be by your side.
They Love You, Flaws and All
A real friend loves everything about you, even your flaws. This doesn’t mean they’ll always agree with you, nor should they: different viewpoints can help expand our horizons. However, a true friend will accept and even find your imperfections appealing. They will never judge you. They won’t ask you to change. They will embrace your strengths and weaknesses and love you for whatever you identify with.
As a result of all this, you will always feel at ease around them. You don’t have to force yourself to talk to them about something or fake even a single laugh (you both know their jokes aren’t funny). There is an effortless flow between the two of you, which is really great. You wouldn’t feel afraid to open up to a friend or share an embarrassing secret. A real friend will tear their walls down to let you in.
They’ll Support Your Wildest Dreams
Really good friends will go along with whatever you decide to do, even if they don’t necessarily agree with it. They will call to ask how you are. They really want to know and care. They don’t place conditions on your relationship. They don’t put pressure on you. Their door is always open. If your crazy dreams go down in flames, they will be there to gather the ashes with you. They will comfort you even if they knew your dreams were doomed.
They Will be Honest, but not Brutally
You’re surrounded by people who share your values if you’ve chosen your friends the right way. They are always there to provide guidance and good advice. This is critical because we can’t see ourselves through others’ eyes and if we’re flailing off course, we don’t necessarily notice. An actual friend is there to help us stay on track. This can involve telling us something we don’t want to hear.
A real friend will not lie to you unless sparing your feelings is more important than telling you the truth. Also, if there’s something bad in your life you can’t change, like an unfortunate event, they will not be harsh. However, when you need to hear the truth, they will tell it like it is. It may be that you’re working or partying too hard. If you hear something like this, do take a listen: they’re speaking from the heart. Respect that.
They Won’t Forget You – and Here’s Why
Sometimes we can’t see our friends as often as we want. There are different reasons for this – busy schedules, family engagements, etc. but when it’s time to catch up, it’s time, and a real friend will treat you as a priority, be it by dropping by your apartment or giving you a call. They might even jump on the next plane.
An actual friend will never be too busy to see you or even tell you that. They will never use being tired as an excuse to avoid meeting up. No matter how busy their life gets, a true friend will keep their promise to see you.
You Call Them – and Take Their Calls – Anytime
There’s an old saying about what a real friend is: someone who’ll take your call at 3 a.m., hear you say you killed someone, and respond, “Where are we burying the corpse?” That’s obviously an exaggeration but in general, a real friend should take your call anytime. If they say they’ll call you back, respect that, and wait for their call.
Know they will sacrifice time to listen to you and help you out. You’d do the same. Being available is what good friendship is all about. This applies to your friends just as much as it does to you. A friend who knows you’re there for them when they need you is extremely likely to reciprocate.
Through Thick and Thin: Sharing the Joy and Sorrow
Just like a friend will celebrate your milestones in life, they will share your sorrow. A real friend will congratulate you on your successes and motivate you to keep accomplishing and achieving. Likewise, they will not let you drown in self-pity when something doesn’t go as planned. They will celebrate or commiserate as needed, keeping you facing forward. With this person by your side, you’ll find yourself surviving the tough times and moving forward as if they never were.
