A friend is someone who reminds you that you are an important person. They acknowledge the fact that your presence in their life has helped make life a better experience.
As human beings, we are all beset by a slew of insecurities and self-criticisms that, if left unchecked, end up becoming the default setting for how we see ourselves. This new default setting begins to take root, and eventually we forget that we ever saw ourselves differently. We begin to think that we are failures, that we haven't done anything meaningful in this world and never will, that our life is some meaningless existence. We even forget that there are people in this world who are happy to have us in their lives. Friendship is so important in today's world because our friends are the people who remind us that our life matters.
Our friends are the people who raise us up and remind us that we make a difference in this world. They thank us for spending time with them, for taking them out, for covering their expenses, etc. They let us know that they appreciate us. They tell us that they love us. A friend makes no effort at all to hide the fact that they truly love you and value your existence. If we love our friends, we should tell them so. Not just once, not just twice, but all the time.
Our friends should always be reminded that someone in this world loves them. Be that person. If you are truly friends, neither of you should feel ashamed to say that you love each other. There is no room for shame in friendship, because true friendship relies on authenticity, and shame restricts authenticity from showing. So if you love your friend, tell them so, and tell them often. You never know if telling them that could change their day entirely.
Our friends are the people in our life who remind us that no matter how badly we may think of ourselves, there is someone in this world who still loves us for who we are, someone who sees us in our true light. They serve as a constant reminder that at least one person in this world truly cares that we exist. If we consider someone to be our friend, we should be doing our part to make sure that they know we love them and value their existence in our life. We should tell them "I love you" often to remind them that there is someone in their life who was once a complete stranger, but has since then grown to love them because that's just how much of an impact they've made on our life.
Our friends are the people who want to know more about us, who ask us questions that most people wouldn't ask, who truly want to get down to the meat and bones of who we are as a person. They open themselves up to us and make themselves vulnerable to us. They ask about our deepest insecurities and they share with us their own. They actually pay attention when we tell them about our life. They tell us about their life. They understand that what we truly want is not small talk, but the deep life conversations that allow both of us a peek into the other's soul. If you call someone your friend, you shouldn't hesitate to ask them questions about whatever it is you're curious about in their life. If they call you their friend, they shouldn't have any reservations about being their authentic self and telling you about what you wanted to hear about.
The bonds of true friendship grow deeper, stronger, and tighter the more vulnerable we become in our friend's company. Deep, significant, true and lasting lifelong bonds are the ultimate destination of Friendship In a New Age.