We humans are social beings, and isolation wears heavily upon us. Yet true friendship is hard to find. Many people become part of our lives but only a few become true friends.

“The blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one’s deepest as well as one’s most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort – the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person – having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away” (Dinah Craik).

Friends are special people. If you’re a friend, it means that you were chosen. You’re not in someone’s life by chance, or by accident of birth. You’re in someone’s life because he or she wants you there. Whether you’re a friend from someone’s day-to-day life, or an Internet pal picked up along the way, you’ve still been chosen in a motion of friendship.

Hold tight to those whom you choose to make your friends, they are more precious than gold. True friends will accept your mistakes and encourage your successes, give you love when you feel there is none, be that shoulder to cry on during times of despair or loss. Good friendships keep you young, healthy and happy – can you imagine life without a good friend to giggle and share secrets with from time to time?

Friends can come and go from our lives, but when we reconnect with them, we can often pick up the conversation as if we had coffee together just last week while, in reality, it’s been years since we saw one another. These are the friends with whom we make a true heart connection; the friends we love and who love us in return.

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