I feel like we’re forgetting the real meaning of friendship. Especially after the massive outbreak of Facebook users and online friendships, it seems like the real bonds in the offline world that are built on respect, mutual understanding and real love are slowly fading away.
In a world where everyone is taken for granted, and people only care about profit and pleasure, it’s truly hard to find a person who will care about others beside themselves. It’s truly hard to meet someone who will love you unconditionally.
So, how can you be sure that the friendship you’ve invested in is a truly authentic and genuine bond based on love and not a fake relationship based on lies?
Here’s what a true friendship really means:
1. REAL FRIENDS STICK WITH YOU THROUGH THICK AND THIN
This is probably the first sign that you have a real friend beside you. People say hard times will always reveal true friends. And that’s the truth. A real, genuine friend who cares about you would never let you deal with your demons alone. Instead, they’d offer a helping hand and help you get back on your feet.
2. REAL FRIENDS LOVE AND ACCEPT EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU, EVEN YOUR FLAWS
Fake people will try to change you and mold you into a person they’ll love. But, real friends? Real friends will love you for who you are. They will embrace everything about you. They will love all of your flaws, insecurities, and quirks. To others, you’ll look flawed. But, to them, you’ll be perfect.
3. REAL FRIENDS ARE HAPPY WHEN YOU’RE HAPPY
I believe we’ve all had a friend who felt jealous and angry whenever something amazing happened to us. We are all familiar with that type of people. Competitive, insecure and envious human beings who pretend to be our friends when all they want to do is stab a knife in our back and let us rot.
Well, real friends are the complete opposite of that. Believe it or not, real friends are people who will always be happy for your successes as if they were their own.
4. REAL FRIENDS MAKE YOU FEEL COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE AROUND THEM
Real friends would never discourage you from sharing your secrets with them. They would never ignore you and they’d never make fun of your insecurities. On the contrary, real friends would help you release yourself from every fear and be exactly who you are around them.
5. REAL FRIENDS ALWAYS MEET YOU HALFWAY
A fake friend is there only when it’s convenient for them. But, a real friend? Oh, a real friend is a person who stays with you forever. You don’t have to call them, text them or beg them to go out. Because a real friend always meets you halfway. They don’t wait for you to reach out to them first, they don’t talk to you when it’s convenient – they are here, no matter what.
6. REAL FRIENDS AREN’T AFRAID TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT HURTS
Most importantly, the mark of a real friend is their unconditional honesty. Fake friends will always tell you what you want to hear. They will find a way to comfort you and sugarcoat the truth for you.
Now, real friends… Real friends will make sure to slap you with the ugly and hurtful truth. Not because they want to hurt you, but because they want to help you make the right choices in life.
7. REAL FRIENDS KNOW HOW TO FORGIVE AND MOVE ON
A true friend knows exactly how you breathe. They are perfectly aware that you’re a flawed human being who sometimes makes mistakes. But, the most incredible thing about these beautiful humans is the fact that no matter what happens, they’ll always forgive you and move on.
8. REAL FRIENDS NEVER TALK BEHIND YOUR BACK
Real friends never gossip behind your back. They would rather confront you and fight with you than trash you when you least expect. Because real friends respect you enough not to spread vicious rumors behind your back. They would never stab you in your back.
