Your Forever Friend

            So what makes a good friend? As I’ve continued my journey down memory lane, I’ve gone over the friendships I’ve had in my existence. Some have stayed; most have gone.

            Why is it that there are some friends you want to gush everything to, while you keep your thoughts close when around others? Why is it that you enjoy being around certain friends, while you can only hang around for so long with others?

             Why is it that there are some friends you want to remain friends with forever, while others could slip away and you wouldn’t mind?

The Mark of a Forever Friend

             Since “BFF” is way overused, I’m going to call the few lucky folks in your life “forever friends” (FF). These are the people you never want to let go.

             I was going to write “The MARKS of a Forever Friend”, but then my mind refused to move past the first point I thought of. So I went with “mark” instead:

            A FF cares about you dearly.

            She goes through life with you and wants to experience your highs and lows. He worries about you when you are feeling down, and is happy when you are joyful.

            This person takes time out of his day to listen to your troubles, joys, thoughts, and everything else. Truly listens. You can tell he cares because of his demeanor when you are talking. 

            She isn’t afraid to tell you what she thinks is right for you. She’s honest; she doesn’t hide wisdom from you because it might hurt you. This person gives you a kick in the pants when necessary.

            A FF wants the best for you. He treats your troubles as if they were his own. Your life is shared with her as if it was hers. “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17, NIV).

You

            We’ve all seen it. The dreaded one-way friendships. One friend is doing all the giving while the person is doing all the taking.

            One person is being the FF, while the other person is being… selfish. Are you this person?

            So evaluate your friendships. Are you the one doing all the talking? Are you showing you actually care about the other person and how he is doing, or do you just keep calm and vent on? Do you ask questions? Do you listen?

In the End

             I thought of the things that make someone a forever friend. I couldn’t move past the fact that a FF cares so much about you. My mind literally refused to think of anything else, so that was the only thing I wrote about. I could’ve also written about humor and talent and wisdom and a great personality. But I didn’t.

             A forever friend cares about you.