The Irreplaceable Value Of A True Friend
By Julia Harris
As humans we are wired to be social. We want to be around other people. We call these people our friends. A lot of us, myself included, don’t always take the time to appreciate our friends; making sure to value the people who rule and discard the people who suck.
Friends, in my eyes, are one of the most important things you can have in life. We don’t just merely want friends, we need them. We need that constant companionship; those often thought provoking moments late on a Wednesday night. Those “listening to music so loud in a car that your ear drums could burst” moments – but you don’t care because you’re too happy – those are the great parts of life.
I’ve found that when it comes to friendships, we often befriend people who are similar to us yet still manage to make up for what we lack. We need those types of relationships to add balance to our lives, especially when it gets difficult.
Good friends allow you to make mistakes and love you anyway. However, they aren’t afraid to say you’re being an idiot. They aren’t afraid of hurting each others feelings because good intentions are always obvious. Friends are also our biggest encouragers. They recognize your desire and need to grow and they do so with you. Through growth and change you grow separately so that you can continue to grow together. Friends are there to laugh and cry with you. Isn’t that a wonderful thing? I think so.
We often get so caught up in the trials and tribulations of life that we forget how short it really is. Fill your life with people who add value to it and let go of the ones who do not. When I was nineteen my group of friends lost a great person that we loved. Our lives would never be the same, but in the wake of a tragedy there is always good. We learned to appreciate each other every day. Every, single day.
Life is short – I will never forget that again. I wish I had spent the first nineteen years of my life knowing how valuable friendship is and remembering to tell my friends how much I appreciate them, but I will live the rest of my years knowing and remembering.
I encourage everyone to do the same, because hearing a friend tell you they will always be there for you when you fall is better than hearing it from the cold, hard floor.