Commentary: Some friendly advice on, well, friendship
Even one good friend will trump 10 acquaintances. (No subliminal message intended!)
As a young adult, my mom gave me some advice about friends. She said you only need three of them. One on whose shoulder to cry. One who makes you smile. And one who likes to go shopping with you. Not necessarily in that order.
Now, many years later, I have my own list of friendship guidance to pass down to my children and grandchildren.
A good friend is one who will keep you sane when you are waiting for your lab results.
She will be the first one you call when your marriage is falling apart. And she won’t remind you that she told you not to marry him.
A good friend is one who will tell you about the long stray hair growing out of your chin.
She will arrive at your house with a box of tissues the day your youngest child leaves for college.
A good friend will accompany you to that awful one-star movie you’ve been dying to see.
She will listen to each “crisis,” without rolling her eyes.
A good friend will give you the last piece of cake and then tell you that your pants are too tight.
She will help you finish a box of chocolates while you discuss your next diet plan.
A good friend can communicate with her eyes and smile, without ever saying a word.
She will have a warm heart and a cold glass of chardonnay.
Sometimes, friends come in the furry, four-legged form. You can confide your darkest secrets and still get a lick of love.
I recently sent a greeting card that read:
“A good friend is like a good bra,
Hard to find,
Very comfortable,
Supportive,
And always close to the heart.”
Even with one or more good friends, it’s nice to make new ones. You never know who will enrich your life or allow you to enrich theirs. But don’t expect them to come knocking at your door. That’s the funny thing about people. No one wants to be rejected, so most likely, you will have to make the first move.
As humorist Greg Tamblyn so aptly said, “Friends are people who know you really well and like you anyway!”
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TERRI GOLDSTEIN contributes occasional pieces to Times Community News.