The first thought that comes to mind is this:
“To have a good friend, be a good friend.”
But that isn’t what the headline says. Is it?
It says instead,
How to Be a Good Friend
Some ideas are:
1) Be Thoughtful of Your Friend.
Always think of your friend before thinking of yourself. This can be tough for a young person.
Young peopleh are most likely to think of their own selfish needs first.
“Cow 1 is not Cow 2” is a certain fact.
No.
You are not cows.
You are people.
Young girls and boys.
And you know as much or more than I do about friendship.
You might think:
“What does she know? She is older than us. She can’t know how or what we are.”
You are correct. I am no longer a teenager. But, I do know a few things about people.
People are the same. It doesn’t matter if they are…
- Young
- Old
- Black
- White
- Yellow
- Any color
They are the same, and yet diferent.
-
Today,
-
Yesterday, and
-
Tomorow.
Young early to late teenagers may dress, talk, and do things in a different way than I did as a teenager.
But…
That means that we may need to dialogue more or talk it out.
Think first;
“What can I do for my friend?”
“What does my friend need?
Ask yourself, “Are all my thoughts selfish?”
If your answer is yes, you may need to think again.
Think deeper, more than skin deep. Think, “Do I think only of myself?” Or, “Do I think of my friend’s wants and needs more?”
When you can honestly say,
“My friend’s needs and wants are more important than my own needs and wants.” Then, you are on the right track.
And I’m not meaning the kind of track where trains run or that is around the football field where track athletes warmup.
2) Be Kind to Your Friend
Always be thoughtful.
Think only good things about your friend and to your friend.
If you hear yourself think or say, “I’m tired of that friend today. They won’t do as I want.”
If you don’t call that a selfish unkind way to think, perhaps you need to rethink your priorities.
Remain true to your friend. Otherwise, they won’t be your friend for long.
3) Be a True Friend
A good friend is a true friend.
Always give the benefit of the doubt to your friend. Never believe a rumor without checking the source first.
Someone may be jealous of your friendship and spreading falsehoods about them.
If you think it might possibly be more than a mere rumor, think about asking your friend directly if what you heard is true.
Give them the courtesy of believing their story over something you may have heard.
4) Actions Speak Louder Than Words.
Show you care by your actions toward your friend. 0therwise, your friend may not be your friend for much longer.
Treat your friend with the same respect you expect from your friend.
Greet each other with true warmth and hugs. Hugs are special. Especially between friends who care deeply for each other.
Show you care about your friend by caring for your friend.
Ask questions about how they feel or what they think. Give your friend a card with a meaningful, hand written message.
-
See a movie together.
-
Skate in the park.
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Share a meal at each other’s house.
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Do homework.
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Talk on the phone.
-
Text
5) Give more to your friend than what you take from your friend.
If you want that person to be your friend for a long time, you need to discover their life goals. Then, help them achieve those goals.
A true friend is a friend forever.
I thought my friend would always be my friend. After many years of friendship, she recently told me she is much too busy for our friendship.
It took me some time to digest this information.
We live in different states some miles apart. We are no longer young. We once were very good friends. Or so I thought. Was I mistaken? I probably will never know.
But our friendship is no longer. That is sad to me.
Keep that from happening to you. Take gentle care of your friendships. They are precious.
May your friendships always stay alive. Keep in touch by…
E-mail.
Telephone.
Telegragh.
Tell a woman.
Or a man.
Or your bestie.
Send a letter.
Send a card.
Text message.
Talk one-on-one.
A song from long ago ends this article.
It still rings true today.
“Make new friends,
But keep the old.
One is silver,
And the other gold.”
May Your Friendships Live Long and Prosper!
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