What about when you are sick? Will they offer to come over and cook you a meal? Will they offer to go grocery shopping for you? Will they drive you to the doctor? These are your real friends. They might not be who you thought was your friend in the first place, but when push comes to shove, and you really need a friend, you will find it in these people.

A friend is somebody who jumps in and helps you with whatever project you are freaking out about, and has to be completed in a specific time frame. A good friend will even help with repairs and maintenance inside and outside of your home.

Maybe these people are not the most exciting people in the world but when you need them even if you don't know them that well they are there for you.

But the people you thought were your friends because they talked to you often, to get and spread the latest gossip will not be there for you when you need them for help. When you ask them to go somewhere with you. They are suddenly unavailable.

When a friend of yours calls you up and says, "I have a ticket for you that is not on your normal entertainment schedule and it is free. This is something that is really special," you know they are a friend. They could have given that ticket to numerous other people but this person decided to give you this special ticket, drive and pick you up and several other people along the way. This is a special friend.

When you have a friend that wants to spend time with you, even to do nothing but watch a video in your home or their home, this is a true friend. Friendship just like any relationship needs to be worked. If someone does you a big favor, try and return that favor when it is needed without question. Friendships grow and cultivate and can be happy and sometimes sad. That is where the square pan comes in. Nobody can live their life in a round pan. Life just isn't like that.

Think of the person you are telling your hopes and dreams. Do you want your thoughts spread all over town or even on the Internet somewhere?

You have friend's good friends, but you have to be a friend, a good friend in order to get and keep a true friend.

Thank you for reading my article. Please feel free to read any of my numerous articles on various subjects.

Copyright 2010 Linda E. Meckler