Who Needs Friends?
Who Needs Friends? Do you really need friends, especially the older you get, especially if you’re married with kids? “In good times, in bad times, I’ll be on your side forever more…that’s what friends are for”, as the old song says.
If you want to have friends, you must show yourself friendly. Relationships take work and to be honest the older we become and the more responsibilities we have; the less appealing the idea of building friendships become. But as the quote above implies, it only takes you having something in common with someone else to form a friendship.
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). Although there are a few loners in the world; we were not made to be alone.
A commitment to your happiness, not asking you to place the friendship before your principles, and a good influence are what makes a friend worthy of the name, according to Alex Lickerman M.D. in his article The True Meaning of Friendship (Psychology Today).
Sheldon Cohen, PhD, a psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, says that “Friends help you face adverse events. They provide material aid, emotional support, and information that helps you deal with the stressors.”, as taken from Good Friends Are Good for You (WebMD).
I love the thought of having someone to text or call when I need to chat about an issue or the idea of an occasional girls night; someone to talk about girly things or watch a girly movie, etc.
So, do we need friends? The answer is yes! Have you found your circle of friend decrease over the years? Maybe it’s time to start growing it again!
Friends are great to have and the most rewarding, for me, are the ones that require little to no work because they are so natural! I understand that people change over time, but even through the changes, your friends are supposed to be the ones that you keep close. Friendships are indeed work and you have to determine the place in your life where friendships fit. I value people who know me and understand me because that’s rare. Everyone needs friends!!
So so true Mionna! I love the bond that I see with you and your friends from childhood until now. It’s so important to have those friendships as you’ve mentioned! And yes indeed, everyone needs friends.